Renewed Ban Sought on Offshore Oil Drilling

WASHINGTON — California congressmen began laying the groundwork Thursday to reimpose a moratorium on offshore oil exploration if talks with the Reagan Administration fail to produce an agreement to limit drilling off California’s coast.

Several California lawmakers urged a House appropriations subcommittee to insert a drilling ban into an Interior Department spending bill that the panel expects to begin writing next month. Rep. Leon E. Panetta (D-Monterey) said the request was designed to “keep our options open.”

But Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel said that such a move could undermine bargaining sessions and questioned the sincerity of those pushing for the standby moratorium.

Earlier this year, Interior officials and a special panel of lawmakers began a new round of negotiations, but the talks have been clouded by an atmosphere of distrust on both sides.

California lawmakers allowed a four-year-old drilling moratorium to lapse last year after they reached agreement with Hodel on a blueprint for limited offshore exploration. The secretary later reneged on the pact, however, and the Californians narrowly lost a key committee vote in the House to revive the ban.

The Appropriations subcommittee also heard from three California Republicans who argued against a new moratorium.

Though Congress ordered Hodel to make another attempt to reach a new drilling accord, some California legislators said they were wary of his sincerity. “He messed us up the last time,” snapped Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Greenbrae), one of eight Californians on the congressional negotiating team.

Panetta charged Hodel with souring the atmosphere for the talks in February by initiating a procedure that could expedite lease sales to oil companies.