WASHINGTON  —  The directors of two Interior Department agencies said Thursday they’re confident oil and gas exploration in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska can proceed without threatening polar bears that depend on the sea ice.

The officials appeared before a House special committee on global warming that is examining why the department is postponing a decision on whether to further protect the bear, at the same time it is proceeding with oil lease sales in the Alaska sea.

Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., the committee chairman, asked for assurance that the decision on whether to list the bear under the Endangered Species Act will be made before the Feb. 6 scheduled oil lease sales.

Dale Hall, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, who on Jan. 9 postponed the polar bear listing decisions after a year of study, declined to give such assurance.

“It’s not just making the decision, it’s making it clear and why,” said Hall, adding that more time is needed to examine thousands of comments on the issue.

Randall Luthi, director of the Minerals Management Service, which is conducting the oil lease sales, said the bear already is adequately protected against harm from oil and gas development under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. And he said the lease sales include provisions to mitigate the impact on the bear.

“We believe adequate protection exists,” said Luthi, nothing that the sea is believed to contain 15 billion barrels of oil and 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

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