Washington — Georgia's two Republican senators this morning joined a bipartisan coalition calling itself the "Gang of 10" to offer a breakthrough proposal for solving the nation's energy problems.

"We are certainly in a crisis," with high fuel prices hurting the economy, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) said at a news conference at the Capitol. To help end Congress' deadlock over energy policy, he reached out to key Democrats because "it was pretty obvious there are a lot of common areas we agree on."

The group of five Democrats and five Republicans want to relax the federal moratorium on offshore exploration and production of oil and natural gas.

They hope that when Congress returns from its August recess, it will take up legislation designed to ease oil and gas leasing bans on the Outer Continental Shelf as well as promote dramatic conservation and alternative energy measures.

The plan would allow drilling 50 miles off Georgia's coast, if approved by state officials.

The maneuver shows the determination of some Democrats to get around their party leadership's opposition to ending the drilling ban. Some Republicans, likewise, are eager to promote more conservation measures and spur development of alternative fuels.

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said the Gang of 10's proposal also includes provisions to help revive the nuclear power industry.

The senators said they have not yet formally introduced legislation but instead will spend the August recess working with the Senate leadership to put together a package that could be passed this year.

"We're open for discussion" about what to include in the final version, Chambliss said. But the goal will be get something comprehensive accomplished on energy policy this year, he said.

"We're very hopeful," he said.