The US House of Representatives plans to debate a wide ranging energy bill next week.
The majority of Republicans are expected to support the bill.
But they may have to pass it without the help of Congressmen Bass and Bradley.
NHPR Correspondent Julie Donnelly reports that a few controversial provisions may cost the bill it's support from New Hampshire's delegation.
Many lawmakers are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place when it comes to energy legislation.
They want to increase production and lower prices while protecting the environment.
New Hampshire's Jeb Bradley says he'll wait until he sees the final version to decide whether to support the bill.
"gas prices are out of sight. Home heating oil is out of sight. Natural gas is high. Yes, energy is on the minds of everyone and it's affecting our economy at this point. So it's important that we have an energy bill, but it's also got to be balanced"
Bradley wants to see a significant amount of money put towards renewable energy.
That desire is shared by the 2nd District's Charlie Bass.
He introduced a provision in committee that would set aside up to a billion dollars for biomass, wind, hydrogen and other sources.
Bass says the investment would not only clean up the environment but could also create jobs in New Hampshire.
The bulk of money in the bill would still go towards supporting traditional fuel sources such as oil and coal.
But the debate on renewable energy pales in comparison to the battle brewing over drilling in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge.
NH Senator Judd Gregg was instrumental in putting a drilling provision into the Senate budget.
And now the drilling measure has found it's way into the tax credit portion of the House Energy bill.
Congressman Bass says that if drilling in ANWR is part of any bill on the house floor, even the budget, he will vote against it.
"I think we have to stick with the promises that we made 25 years ago and protect this part of Alaska. And I don't think there's any clear evidence that there's the kind of resources there. There might be, but there's might not"
Congressman Bradley agrees, saying he will also likely vote against the bill if it includes Alaskan drilling.
But there are other provisions Bradley is equally concerned about.
The bill includes legislation to boost ethanol production by over a billion gallons a year.
"ethanol may be good for farmers, but at the same time, it's very expensive for consumers and it takes a lot ofr fossil fuels, oil in particular to grow the corn to produce the alcohol based fuel ethanol. so when your talking about improving our energy situation, I just don't think it's worth the cost.
The part of the bill that may be the most troubling to New Hampshire's Congressmen is one that would protect manufacturers of the gasoline additive MTBE, from lawsuits.
Leakage of MTBE from underground storage tanks has contaminated groundwater in New England - and Congressman Bradley says that's unacceptable.
Congressman Bass voted for that part of the energy bill in committee.
But he says he's working to change the MTBE provision before the bill hits the floor.
"we are working in cooperation with the chairman of the committee and others on a work out for MTBE clean up. It's not there yet. but we're trying to work it out so that the MTBE is cleaned up in New Hampshire and responsibility is shared by all parties involved".
Everyone involved in the energy debate says it's still very early, and that many things could still change.
The house plans to go ahead with a floor vote next week.
But the Senate may not take up the House bill until the summer.
Congressmen Bass and Bradley may find they have more in common with Senate democrats, than house Republicans.
If the energy bill goes over to the Senate with measures that allow Alaskan drilling, or protect MTBE makers from lawsuits, Democrats will likely threaten to filibuster the energy bill to death.
For NHPR News, I'm Julie Donnelly in Washington.
