WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following response to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s comments from Norway about Arctic exploration:

“Secretary Salazar’s participation in the Norway conference and interaction with other Arctic nations – all of which are pursuing oil and natural gas production off their own coasts – is welcome. No one knows better the intrinsic value of the Arctic than Alaskans,” Murkowski said. “While I realize the administration plans to release its full 2012-2017 offshore leasing plan on Thursday, based on comments made today, the failure to hold annual lease sales in Alaska’s waters falls short of expectations. I’m also concerned by the administration’s plans to place undisclosed amounts of acreage off limits and impose additional layers of regulation on the Arctic – above and beyond rules already in place.”

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For further information, please contact Robert Dillon at 202.224.6977 or Robert_Dillon@energy.senate.gov or Megan Moskowitz at 202.224.7875 or Megan_Moskowitz@energy.senate.gov.

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