Mike Smith
Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, Department of Energy

Then: For years, Smith operated an independent oil and gas company in Oklahoma, serving on the Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association's board of directors from 1981 to 1995. In 1995, he became Oklahoma's Secretary of Energy, acting as the governor's representative to and Vice Chair of the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact

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Now: Smith is an outspoken advocate of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Preserve or which, he said ""It's simply a non-issue with me. It looks like a desert covered in snow." In a speech before the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia, Smith said, "The biggest challenge is going to be how to best utilize taxpayer dollars to the benefit of industry."

Among the initiatives Smith is assisting is a study to determine when it's environmentally safe for oil companies to transport heavy equipment over arctic tundra. Part of the funding for the study will be provided by Total, Anadarko Petroleum, and ConocoPhillips. Smith is also one of the key players in the administration's Hydrogen Fuel Cell initiative. Under that program, Bush has devoted the majority of research and development funding to study the development of hydrogen from fossil fuels.

© 2003 The Foundation for National Progress

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