Crude Feud

Washington Outlook: CAPITAL WRAPUP

CRUDE FEUD

Republican Senators Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York and Frank H. Murkowski of Alaska are quietly duking it out over an export ban on Alaskan oil. D'Amato, who favors the ban, won the first battle when the Senate referred the issue to his Banking Committee, while Murkowski, who wants to lift the ban, tried to keep it in his Energy Committee. Why D'Amato's interest? Northville Industries Corp. in Melville, N.Y., operates the pipeline that carries excess Alaska oil to the Gulf of Mexico for sale in the U.S. Northville's political-action committee and its CEO, Jay Bernstein, are past D'Amato contributors.EDITED BY OWEN ULLMANN