09.13.17

Murkowski Statement on the Passing of Former Energy Committee Chairman Pete Domenici

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after the passing of her former colleague, Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., who served as the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources from 2003 through 2008. "I am truly saddened by the loss of my friend, Sen. Pete Domenici. Pete was a lifelong public servant dedicated to the people of his home state of New Mexico. I appreciate his significant contributions to the Energy and Natural R… Continue Reading

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09.13.17

Murkowski: Partnership on Microgrids Will Lead to Lower Energy Costs for Alaskans and Stronger Grid Resiliency for U.S.

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended the Department of Energy (DOE) for awarding a $6.2 million grant to an Alaskan partnership that includes the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), the City of Cordova, the Cordova Electric Cooperative (CEC), the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC), three national laboratories, and several other universities and industry partners. "I'm pleased to see the Department of Energy recognize the … Continue Reading

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08.03.17

Murkowski: Fire Season Highlights Need for Legislative Solution for Wildfire Funding and Forest Management Reforms

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing to conduct oversight of the nation's wildfire management programs and the use of emerging technologies to mitigate wildfire risk. She also reiterated her call for Congress to pass legislation that both ends fire borrowing and makes long-overdue forest management reforms. "Wildfires continue to be a growing crisis and are destroying lands across our country," Murkowski said. "As of August 1, nearly 39,000 fires had burned almost 5.5 mi… Continue Reading

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08.03.17

Senate Restores FERC Quorum, Confirms Deputy Secretary of Energy

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Energy, and Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to be Members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). "After six months, we have finally restored a working quorum to FERC," Murkowski said. "Mr. Chatterjee and Mr. Powelson certainly have their work cut out for them, but I'm confident they will work to quickly get this indepe… Continue Reading

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07.26.17

36 Senators Send Letter to Secretary Zinke in Support of New OCS Five-Year Leasing Program

A robust group of 36 Republican Senators today sent a letter to Secretary Ryan Zinke in support of the Department of the Interior's new Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Five-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program for 2019-2024. The plan promises to increase offshore access and development, which will in turn boost our economy, keep energy affordable, and reinforce the United States' position as an energy dominant superpower. "Pursuing a new Five-Year Program will provide a meaningful review to guarantee… Continue Reading

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07.21.17

Murkowski Secures Funding for Energy Innovation

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee recently passed the Fiscal Year 2018 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. The measure will provide funding for the Department of Energy (DOE) programs and critical infrastructure projects administered by the Army Corps of Engineers. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured several provisions to address Alaska's unique infrastructure needs and to promote an in… Continue Reading

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07.21.17

Appropriators Approve First FY 2019 Funding Bill

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water Appropriations bill, which provides funding for Department of Energy (DOE) programs and critical infrastructure projects administered by the Army Corps of Engineers. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), a member of the Appropriations Committee, secured provisions to build on energy opportunities in Alaska's Arctic, address the state's unique needs, and improve energy efficiency, renewable energy, and emergency p… Continue Reading

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07.20.17

Murkowski Welcomes Nomination of Joe Balash for Key Role at Interior

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Joe Balash to be the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management at the Department of the Interior. Balash is currently the chief of staff for Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, and previously served as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. "Joe is an excellent choice for Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, and I'm incr… Continue Reading

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07.19.17

Alaska Delegation and Gov. Walker Urge DOI, DOT, USDA to Resolve Cooper Landing Bypass Dispute

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan, and U.S. Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, and Gov. Bill Walker, I-Alaska, yesterday sent a letter to Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, and Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao urging them to work together to resolve long-standing delays over the Cooper Landing Bypass in southcentral Alaska. "We write to seek your coordinated assistance to resolve one of the longest-runni… Continue Reading

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07.18.17

Committee Reviews U.S. Energy and Resource Security

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired a hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the status of U.S. and North American energy and resource security. The hearing examined everything from the significant benefits that have resulted from the elimination of the domestic ban on crude oil exports in December 2015 to the need to maintain U.S. nuclear leadership and improve our waning mineral security. Murkowski opened the hearing by recognizing how far the… Continue Reading

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07.10.17

Murkowski: New Secretarial Order Will Help Reduce Permitting Delays

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following statement after Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke issued a Secretarial Order directing the Department to hold regular onshore oil and gas leasing sales and to reduce delays in the processing of Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs). "After years of bureaucratic delay that held back and halted critical projects, this order is yet more good news for our efforts to refill the Trans-Alaska Pipeline," Murkowski said. "Although Secretary … Continue Reading

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06.29.17

Senators Murkowski and Cantwell Introduce Broad, Bipartisan Energy and Natural Resources Bill

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., the committee's ranking member, this week introduced S. 1460, the Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017 (ENRA). The bill is the successor to their broad, bipartisan legislation from the previous Congress and was placed directly on the Senate Calendar for expedited floor consideration. Focused on a wide range of energy and natural resources opportunities and challenges, EN… Continue Reading

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06.28.17

Murkowski Statement on Commissioner Honorable’s Upcoming Departure from FERC

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement after Commissioner Colette Honorable announced that her final day at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will be June 30, 2017. "Commissioner Honorable has served with distinction. While I did not agree with her on every issue, she has been an outstanding regulator, and I wish her and her family well. Although I understand and respect Commissioner Honorable's decision to step down this week, her departure again… Continue Reading

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06.22.17

Murkowski: DOE Must Help Strengthen U.S Leadership in Energy Innovation

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Department of Energy's $28 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, a $2.7 billion reduction from the current fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by welcoming Secretary Rick Perry back to the committee for the first time since his bipartisan Senate confirmation on March 2. While noting that she agrees with parts of the Department's budget re… Continue Reading

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06.21.17

Murkowski: Interior Working to Increase Access to Alaska’s Lands and Waters

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Department of the Interior's $11.7 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, a reduction of more than $1 billion compared to the current fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by welcoming Secretary Zinke back to the committee for the first time since his strong bipartisan Senate confirmation on March 1. "I have enjoyed working with you durin… Continue Reading

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06.20.17

Murkowski Marks 40th Anniversary of Trans-Alaska Pipeline

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today commemorated the 40th anniversary of the first barrel of oil moving through the 800-mile long Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez. Murkowski marked the occasion by speaking on the Senate floor about TAPS' history, from the discovery of oil at Prudhoe Bay to how the pipeline has fueled Alaska's economy and strengthened the energy security of our nation. (As a teenager, Senator Murkowski sits in a section of the pipeline during… Continue Reading

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06.15.17

Murkowski: Forest Service Should Promote Healthy Forests, Prosperous Economies for Alaskan Communities

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today chaired an oversight hearing held by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources to examine the U.S. Forest Service's $4.7 billion budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2018, which would be about $880 million less than the previous fiscal year. Murkowski opened the hearing by noting that when making tough funding decisions, Congress must ensure the Forest Service has the resources it needs to meet basic forest health needs before funding other programs. "… Continue Reading

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06.08.17

Panel Reviews Cost Reductions in Emerging Energy Technologies

In what was easily the most anticipated hearing on Capitol Hill this morning, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, held an oversight hearing to consider cost trends in emerging energy technologies. Committee members heard from a variety of witnesses who detailed cost reductions in everything from oil and natural gas to renewables, energy storage, and alternative fuel vehicles. Murkowski opened by speaking about the importance of continued innovation in the energy sector, which plays a key role i… Continue Reading

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06.08.17

Murkowski Applauds New Secretarial Order on Sage Grouse

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today expressed her support for the secretarial order signed by Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to improve sage grouse conservation and strengthen consultation between the federal government and western states. Secretarial Order 3353 establishes an internal review team to evaluate and make recommendations on the land use plans finalized in 2015 that address conservation of the sage grouse and its habitat. The review will also consider local economic growth and … Continue Reading

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05.30.17

Sen. Murkowski Leads Arctic Energy/Security CODEL

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska, this weekend along with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Steve Daines, R-Mont., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D. The delegation traveled to Norway, Greenland, and the North Slope of Alaska, with an itinerary full of meetings and site visits focused on Arctic energy and security. "The best way to learn about the Arctic, to truly understand it and grasp its importance, is to… Continue Reading