The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) was not a priority during Premier Dennis Fentie's trip to Washington last week, says the Yukon NDP.

'I've urged the premier over and over again to go to Washington and give a strong, clear message about the Yukon's opposition to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge,' Lorraine Peter, the NDP's environment critic, said in a press release Monday.

'He did go to Washington, all right, but ANWR seemed to be the last thing on this mind.'

Fentie was in the American capital with Economic Development Minister Jim Kenyon and Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Archie Lang. Their purpose was to discuss the proposed Alaska Highway gas pipeline and the possible Alaska-Canada rail link.

The delegation was in Washington at the invitation of Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski, said Fentie.

Murkowski is a strong proponent of drilling in ANWR, as well as the pipeline and the rail link.

Lang credited Murkowski with the ministers' ability to get access to high-level American officials and meetings during the visit.

But, Opposition Leader Todd Hardy said last week that Fentie is willing to do whatever Murkowski asks and is unable to form an independent position for the territory.

Prior to Fentie's trip to Washington, Peter was in in Fort Yukon, Alaska, at an emergency meeting called to discuss strategies to address the ANWR issue.

The public attention on ANWR led to Fentie telling the media that the issue was on his 'radar' and that the Yukon's position remained clear and unchanged.

'ANWR shouldn't be on their radar. It should be part of their position,' said Hardy.

Lang defended Fentie the following day. He said the premier had spoken out on ANWR and made the Yukon's position very clear during a meeting with the National Press Club last Thursday afternoon.

According to the NDP press release, it wasn't the premier who raised the issue, but a reporter who posed a direct question on ANWR.

'Dennis Fentie can say whatever he likes for the folks back home, but did he actually spell out the Yukon's opposition to drilling in the Porcupine caribou calving grounds while he was down there?' asked Peter.

'With so much secrecy surrounding this latest trip, and his refusal to go down earlier to lobby against development in ANWR, I have very serious doubts that he did.'

Hardy said Fentie is busy chasing mega-projects and doesn't have the interests of Yukoners in mind.

'Yukoners may just have to live with the fact that environmental protection is not part of the Yukon Party's agenda,' said Peter.