Articles & Op-eds
E&E News: How Murkowski helped move Biden on Willow
by Emma Dumain
For nearly two years, Sen. Lisa Murkowski has played the long game on expanding drilling in Alaska: She has voted for many of President Joe Biden's key nominees and legislative priorities while relentlessly bending the ears of top White House officials at every opportunity. All that work paid has paid off in a big way. On Monday, the Interior Department, at Biden's direction, announced it would move forward with a scaled-back, but still expansive, plan for energy extraction in the Alaska Rep… Continue Reading
03.13.23
Anchorage Daily News: What Alaska leaders, North Slope groups, conservation groups, industry and others are saying about Biden’s Willow project approval
by Riley Rogerson, Alex DeMarban
The Biden administration's Monday decision to approve an $8 billion ConocoPhillips Alaska oil project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska swiftly drew both celebration and condemnation in Alaska and Outside. The much-anticipated announcement allows ConocoPhillips to develop three drill sites, a smaller footprint than what the company had originally proposed, but an option it said is still economically viable. The Alaska congressional delegation, state officials, North Slope leaders, indus… Continue Reading
03.13.23
Alaska Beacon: Biden administration OKs Willow Arctic oil project on Alaska’s North Slope
by James Brooks
The Biden administration on Monday approved Alaska's largest oil and gas development in decades after a bipartisan lobbying effort by members of the state's congressional delegation and the state Legislature. Though the project has broad support from elected officials in Alaska, it's strongly opposed by environmental groups. Some are already planning a lawsuit to block the project. Located in the federal National Petroleum Reserve on the North Slope, the Willow project is expected to produce… Continue Reading
03.13.23
New York Times: How Biden Got From ‘No More Drilling’ to Backing a Huge Project in Alaska
by Lisa Friedman
WASHINGTON - As a candidate, Joseph R. Biden promised voters worried about the warming planet "No more drilling on federal lands, period. Period, period, period." On Monday, President Biden approved an enormous $8 billion plan to extract 600 million barrels of oil from pristine federal land in Alaska. The distance between Mr. Biden's campaign pledge and his blessing on that plan, known as the Willow project, is explained by a global energy crisis, intense pressure from Alaska lawmakers (includ… Continue Reading
03.13.23
Anchorage Press: 'The enormous benefits it will bring to not only the North Slope, but Alaska and the nation.': State leaders welcome approval of the Willow Project; Governor warns new oil, gas restrictions in NPRA will harm Alaska
by Katie Stavick
On Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management issued a Record of Decision approving an alternative for ConocoPhillips' Willow Project on the North Slope that permits 3 drill pads. U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Representative Mary Peltola welcomed the Biden administration's decision to reapprove ConocoPhillips' Willow Project within the National Petroleum Reserve - Alaska (NRPA). "We finally did it, Willow is finally reapproved, and we can almost literally feel Alaska's fu… Continue Reading
02.23.23
Anchorage Daily News: ‘This is your lifeline’: Murkowski urges Legislature to address shrinking population
by Iris Samuels
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski urged Alaska lawmakers to stem the tide of outmigration by investing in transportation, resource development and child care, among other areas, in a fiery speech to the Legislature on Wednesday. "I maybe didn't stay in my lane," the 20-year Republican senator said after spending much of her hourlong address instructing lawmakers on state policy proposals, in what she called "the tough love part" of her comments. Her top priority, she said, was ensuring that the Legisla… Continue Reading
02.22.23
Fairbanks Daily News Miner: Murkowski calls on Legislature to capitalize on the opportunity in federal funding
by Matt Buxton
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski delivered her annual address to the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, heralding billions of dollars in new federal spending coming the state's way but warning there is still much work to be done to make the state a place where people "live and work and play and stay." Where such addresses are typically an opportunity for Alaska's congressional delegation to tout accomplishments on the federal level, Murkowski was unusually direct about the need for the Legislature to… Continue Reading
02.22.23
Alaska News Source: Murkowski encourages support for ferries, Willow project in speech to state legislature
by Tim Rockey
JUNEAU, Alaska (KTUU) - United States Sen. Lisa Murkowski spoke to a joint session of the Alaska Legislature on Wednesday, reaffirming her full-throated support for the Willow project on the North Slope. Murkowski also spoke about numerous other topics, including infrastructure, transportation on the Alaska Marine Highway System, outmigration and other economic issues that have plagued Alaska. Murkowski began by discussing all the new faces in the Alaska Legislature, commending the formation o… Continue Reading
02.19.23
Anchorage Daily News: Alaska Native supporters of Willow oil project push for approval in D.C.
by Riley Rogerson
WASHINGTON - As a decision from the Biden administration on the Willow oil development project nears, a group of North Slope leaders traveled to Washington, D.C., this month to advocate for its approval, emphasizing that their communities stand to gain billions if it is developed. The Willow project, a $8 billion ConocoPhillips drilling prospect in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, is expected to produce more than 180,000 barrels of oil daily at its peak. As the Biden administration mul… Continue Reading
02.16.23
Anchorage Daily News: U.S. Senate passes resolution to designate Feb. 16 as National Elizabeth Peratrovich Day
by Riley Rogerson
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate approved a resolution Thursday that designates Feb. 16, 2023, as National Elizabeth Peratrovich Day in honor of the Tlingit civil rights leader. The resolution, which was led by Alaska Republican Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, passed the Senate unanimously on a day when Alaskans were already celebrating Elizabeth Peratrovich Day at the state level. The Senate resolution recognizes Peratrovich's contributions to Alaska history, including her fight again raci… Continue Reading
02.15.23
Associated Press: Alaska Native leaders, US senators back major oil project
by Becky Bohrer
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Alaska's Republican U.S. senators and several Alaska Native leaders on Tuesday urged the federal government to approve a major oil project on the petroleum-rich North Slope, casting the project as economically critical for Indigenous communities in the region and important for the nation's energy security. The Biden administration "damn well better not kill the project, period," Sen. Lisa Murkowski told reporters on a video conference. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management… Continue Reading
02.05.23
Anchorage Daily News OPINION: Murkowski leads the way on investment in outdoor recreation
by Haley Johnston
As recent ADN articles have highlighted, Alaska and Anchorage are experiencing workforce shortages and outmigration. Access to outdoor recreation is our state's greatest competitive advantage and a huge factor in retaining and recruiting a skilled workforce to live and work in our state. Investing in the infrastructure that makes outdoor recreation accessible to all Alaskans while simultaneously helping to bolster our visitor industry has never been more important. Thankfully, outdoor recreatio… Continue Reading
02.01.23
Delta Discovery: 117th Congress Featured Big Wins for YK Delta Region
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, more than $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Tho… Continue Reading
01.27.23
Anchorage Daily News: Feds inject nearly $300M into Alaska Marine Highway System for improvements
by Riley Rogerson
As the Alaska Marine Highway System turns 60, the federal government this week announced $285 million for improvements. The money is intended to modernize and replace vessels, upgrade docks and invest in long-term resilience. "This is great news for our infrastructure, but also for our state's economic future going forward," Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Thursday in a media event with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The ferry system serves 3,500-plus miles of Alaska's… Continue Reading
01.27.23
Cordova Times: 117th Congress featured big wins for Cordova
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we advanced during it will produce lasting benefits for Cordova. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Those dollars are helping us… Continue Reading
01.27.23
Kodiak Daily Mirror: 117th Congress featured big wins for Kodiak
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Kodiak. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Those dollars are helping us bui… Continue Reading
01.26.23
Petersburg Pilot OPINION: 117th Congress featured big wins for Petersburg
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Petersburg and across Southeast. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has already been announced for Alaska… Continue Reading
01.26.23
Ketchikan Daily OPINION: 117th Congress featured big wins for Ketchikan
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Ketchikan. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Those dollars are helping us… Continue Reading
01.26.23
Juneau Empire OPINION: Juneau stands to benefit significantly from the 117th Congress
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Juneau and across Southeast. One of the most significant achievements is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Ala… Continue Reading
01.25.23
Anchorage Daily News OPINION: Anchorage got some big wins from the 117th Congress
by Lisa Murkowski
Earlier this month, the 117th Congress formally adjourned, marking the close of a remarkably productive legislative stretch for Alaska. The last Congress was one of the best for our state in recent memory, and the bipartisan bills we passed during it will produce lasting benefits for Alaska and the Anchorage area. Most significant is the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which I played a lead role on. In just over a year, roughly $3 billion from it has been announced for Alaska. Those do… Continue Reading
