The plan includes a widely anticipated proposal to open 1.5 million acres of the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge to oil exploration and calls for commercial development of the Naval Petroleum Reserve in California's Elk Hills field. It would expedite the licensing of new nuclear power plants and seek a solution to the vexing problem of nuclear waste disposal.

The proposal to explore the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge-while bitterly opposed by environmentalists who fear that it will damage the country's preeminent wildlife refuge-represents America's "most significant prospect" for a major oil discovery, [James D. Watkins] said.

While other states get 50% of the payments from oil developed in their territorial waters, Alaska historically has claimed 90%. A bill introduced by Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.) earlier this week would reduce Alaska's share to 37.5% and designate the remaining revenues collected by the federal government for energy development.