"This route passes through some very beautiful and environmentallysensitiveareas, which is why we have ensured that contractors are mindful of these issues from the outset, " he added.
Pelosi said there are plenty of opportunities that oil companies should explore before environmentallysensitiveareas such as ANWR are open to drilling, pointing to the 33 million acres that have already been approved for offshore drilling and the 68 million acres of federal land in the lower 48 states that is open to exploration.