White House Puts West on Fast Track for Oil, Gas Drilling

Seems to me that everyone in affected states should know about this:

WASHINGTON — Placing a heavy emphasis on energy production in the American West, the Bush administration has moved aggressively to open up broad areas of largely unspoiled federal land to oil and gas exploration.

The administration has pressed for approval of new drilling permits across the Rocky Mountains and lifted protections on hundreds of thousands of acres with gas and oil reserves in Utah and Colorado. In the process, it has targeted a number of places prized for their scenery, abundant wildlife and clean water, natural assets increasingly valuable to the region's changing economy.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0825-04.htm

Sounds to me like Bush & Co are trying to toss favors to as many of their buddies as possible before November.