The proposal, however, would defer lease sales for oil development on about 650 million acres.

Action on these three lease sales will await the conclusion of a special task force set up to measure the potential for environmental damage.

Our own recommendation is that the lease sales be blocked until the president can demonstrate that need.

"We are working to begin lease sales of fuel-cell-powered motorcycles in 2009," he said.

He also rejected the department's arguments that the final document allowing the lease sales was not, in itself, subject to full environmental analysis.

Here's the rest of the story: The Administration is required to hold a certain number of lease sales each year.

The first of ten federal offshore lease sales in California was held in 1963.

The federal government continued to hold offshore lease sales through 1982.

This plan includes much of disputed waters but would defer lease sales for oil development on about 650 million acres.

From 1954 until 1990, the Government has received more than $90 billion in lease sales and royalties paid for oil and gas production.