06.11.20

Murkowski, Manchin Welcome Crucial Step for U.S. Leadership in Nuclear Energy

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., today commended the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation's (DFC) decision to allow nuclear energy projects to apply for financing-as Murkowski and Manchin requested in an October 2019 letter to DFC. "Nuclear energy technology can help meet the world's clean energy needs," Murkowski said. "Our energy future is global, and steps like this DFC decision are crucial to meeting climate and energy leadership goals. Developing… Continue Reading

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06.09.20

Murkowski: Testing, PPE Critical During 2020 Wildfire Season

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska today chaired a hearing to examine wildfire management in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Alaska had one of the largest, most expensive, and heavily-staffed fires last year-the Swan Lake Fire on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge-that burned off and on for almost four months," Murkowski said. "Over 3,000 people were assigned to that fire, including hundreds of firefighters from the Lower 48. The fallout from a small fraction of infections on a fire lik… Continue Reading

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06.07.20

Murkowski Welcomes Fish and Wildlife Service Polar Bear Final ITRs

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently published the final marine mammal Incidental Take Regulations (ITR), commonly known as the Polar Bear ITRs, for the Beaufort Sea (Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf) and adjacent northern coast of Alaska. The final regulations come after Senator Murkowski repeatedly pressed Department of the Interior officials on the importance of issuing updated regulations as the last ITRs expired this month. On May 18 during a nomination hearing in the Senate … Continue Reading

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06.04.20

Delegation Will Continue to Fight for Life-Saving Road for King Cove

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements after a federal judge ruled against a U.S. Department of the Interior land exchange agreement needed to facilitate a short, gravel, life-saving road that will connect King Cove, Alaska, to the all-weather airport in nearby Cold Bay. "This decision is yet another bitter disappointment for the good people of King Cove," Murkowski said. "I continue to believe the Department of the Int… Continue Reading

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06.02.20

Murkowski, Bishop Lead Congressional Push for Domestic Mineral Production

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah-1, today led a bicameral letter to U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue encouraging them to finalize rulemakings that will modernize and simplify regulations governing the domestic production of locatable minerals. Sens. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, John Barrasso, R-Wyo., Jim Risch, R-Idaho, John Hoeven, R-N.D., Bill Cassidy, R-La., James Lankford, R-Okla., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Dan… Continue Reading

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05.29.20

Murkowski Welcomes Relief for Renewable Energy Projects

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, thanked Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for the Department's swift response to recent requests for regulatory relief for the renewable energy industry. On Wednesday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released updated regulatory guidance for renewable energy projects taking the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC). "The COVID-19 pandemic has posed significant challenges for the renewable energy industry, which has lost thousands of jo… Continue Reading

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05.21.20

Murkowski, Collins, and Tillis Urge Regulatory Relief for Renewable Energy Industry

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today led a group of senators in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin urging additional regulatory relief for companies utilizing the energy investment tax credit (ITC) and production tax credit (PTC). Senators Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., also signed the letter. "At a time when the renewable energy industry is facing significant challenges, these steps will help protect American jobs and provide investor certainty as w… Continue Reading

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05.21.20

Delegation: FERC Approval is Major Milestone for Alaska LNG Project

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, today released the following statements after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation authorization to construct and operate the Alaska LNG project. "This is a capstone moment for Alaska LNG at the federal level, and it is the result of a robust and comprehensive review process," Murkowski said. "A final FERC certificate and order are immensely valuable assets … Continue Reading

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05.15.20

Murkowski Welcomes Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, welcomed the Department of Energy's (DOE) launch of an Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) within its Office of Nuclear Energy. The ARDP will partner with private industry to help demonstrate advanced nuclear reactors in the United States. "Over the past several years, I have worked with my Senate colleagues to develop a pathway for these important clean energy systems and have pushed my Nuclear Energy Leadership Act to reposition us as the undispu… Continue Reading

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05.14.20

Never Again Education Act En Route to the President’s Desk

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, welcomed the Senate's passage of H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, which will help raise awareness of the Holocaust by providing educational resources for teachers and students. "The Holocaust is a scourge in world history, when racism and intolerance led to the murder of over 11 million people because of their Jewish heritage, ethnicity, religious or political views, and other differences," Murkowski said. "More than 70 years later, we have seen a re… Continue Reading

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05.12.20

Murkowski, Risch Introduce Energy Infrastructure Protection Act

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and James Risch, R-Idaho, today introduced a new bill, the Energy Infrastructure Protection Act, to boost protections for critical electric infrastructure. The bill updates provisions in the Federal Power Act and restricts federal disclosures of certain sensitive energy information. "Protecting our nation's electric infrastructure is a matter of national security," Murkowski said. "Our bill equips the federal government with additional tools to safeguard the… Continue Reading

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05.05.20

Alaska Delegation Reiterates Strong Support for Willow Project

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Rep. Don Young, all R-Alaska, this week wrote a letter urging the Department of the Interior to finalize the supplemental Environmental Impact Statement for ConocoPhillips' Willow Master Development Plan in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). Below are excerpts from the delegation's letter: "There is no doubt the COVID-19 crisis has introduced challenges to business operations, but we understand BLM has been extraordinarily responsive to … Continue Reading

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04.27.20

Murkowski Welcomes Affirmation of Commitment on BP-Hilcorp Sale

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, released the following statement after BP reaffirmed its commitment to sell its Alaska assets to Hilcorp this year. "As Alaskans navigate unprecedented challenges during these uncertain times, it is welcome news to hear that one of the most important deals for the state's largest industry remains on track," Murkowski said. "BP has affirmed its commitment to complete the sale of its Alaska assets to Hilcorp, and Hilcorp has affirmed its commitment to the fu… Continue Reading

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04.25.20

Delegation Statement on Reductions in Alaska North Slope Production

U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and Congressman Don Young, all R-Alaska, released the following statement after Alyeska, the consortium that owns and operates the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, announced the temporary proration of North Slope crude oil production. "The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and the oil price war have hit Alaska hard-prompting some difficult decisions. We have been in constant communication with Alyeska and our North Slope operators, and recognize this is… Continue Reading

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04.24.20

Murkowski Commends DOE’s Commitment to Advancing Nuclear Energy in the United States

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released its report outlining a number of activities to renew our nation's nuclear energy capabilities. "I welcome this report, which outlines key steps to move forward on nuclear energy. In order for the United States to have a viable nuclear energy industry and actually compete with countries like China and Russia, who are charging ahead, we need to step up. Expanding the globa… Continue Reading

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04.22.20

Murkowski Joins Colleagues in Urging Loans to Protect American Energy Jobs

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, joined several of her Senate colleagues on a letter to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell urging swift action to make loans accessible to domestic energy producers. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. led the effort. Below are excerpts from the letter: "We face a real and present danger of seeing hundreds, if not thousands of oil producers shuttering, an event that will profoundly and negatively impact the industry, its financ… Continue Reading

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04.20.20

Alaska Delegation Urges Fast-Tracked Approval for Virtual SRS RAC Meetings

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Senator Dan Sullivan, and Congressman Young, all R-Alaska, today sent a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue requesting that he allow Resource Advisory Committees (RACs) to meet virtually on an expedited timeline during the COVID-19 pandemic. Below is an excerpt from their letter: "Most RAC funding is used to improve natural resource and recreation infrastructure, which will be extremely important as Alaskans rally to salvage and restore our summer touri… Continue Reading

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04.16.20

Murkowski Questions FCC Proposal to Open 6 GHz Spectrum

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow emergency responders and utilities to continue to have priority usage of the 6 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum band. Murkowski's comments came in a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. On April 1, the FCC published a draft rule to allow unlicensed devices to utilize the 6 GHz band, which is currently occupied by electric and natural gas utilities, along with other licensed users. "Allowing unlicensed devi… Continue Reading

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04.13.20

Murkowski: OPEC+ Agreement is a Good Step

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following statement after the OPEC+ group, comprised of 23 member nations, collectively agreed to reduce their global oil production by 9.7 million barrels per day. The cuts will be made to limit global oversupply in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. "I'm glad the Saudis and Russians are taking a step back from their economic warfare against U.S. producers, and I thank President Trump and Secretary Brouillette for their leadership in r… Continue Reading

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04.08.20

Murkowski Welcomes EIA’s Prioritization of Storage Data

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today thanked the Department of Energy's (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) for quickly prioritizing her request to publish timely data on U.S. oil storage capacity. In response to Murkowski's March 31 letter to Administrator Linda Capuano, EIA today began publishing a weekly estimate of U.S. oil storage capacity utilization as part of its Weekly Petroleum Status Report release. "The timely collection and analysis of data related to petrole… Continue Reading