Wyden, Murkowski Applaud Senate’s Passage of Energy, Lands Bills

June 19, 2013

Washington, D.C. – The leaders of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today applauded the Senate’s passage of 14 bills that will encourage the development of energy on federal lands, protect wilderness areas, expand the boundaries of a historically significant site and expand recreational opportunities and access at several rivers and federal sites.

“I commend Senator Murkowski and the rest of my colleagues on the committee for proving that sensible bills with bipartisan support can thread the needle and pass the U.S. Senate,” Wyden said. “The bills passed today will promote recreation, speed up development of renewable power and protect some of our country’s most pristine areas.”

“It’s encouraging to see senators from both sides of the aisle working together to move energy and lands bills through the Senate,” Murkowski said. “Sen. Wyden and I have made it a priority to focus our Committee efforts first on areas of broad consensus, and, today, I believe we’ve found a balance between energy development and conservation in passing these 14 bills.”

The Senate passed 14 bills representing both Democratic and Republican legislation, including three wilderness bills, and measures improving permitting for energy projects.

The full list of bills passed is below:

  • S. 23, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Conservation and Recreation Act
  • S. 25, South Utah Valley Electric Conveyance Act
  • S. 26, Bonneville Unit Clean Hydropower Facilitation Act
  • S. 112, Alpine Lakes Wilderness Additions and Pratt and Middle Fork Snoqualmie Rivers Protection Act
  • S. 130, Powell Shooting Range Land Conveyance Act
  • S. 157, Denali National Park Improvement Act
  • S. 230, A bill to authorize the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes
  • S. 244, A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to modify the Pilot Project offices of the Federal Permit Streamlining Pilot Project.
  • S. 276, A bill to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the American Falls Reservoir.
  • S. 304, Natchez Trace Parkway Land Conveyance Act of 2013
  • S. 352, Devil's Staircase Wilderness Act
  • S. 383, A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate a segment of Illabot Creek in Skagit County, Washington, as a component of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System.
  • S. 393, White Clay Creek Wild and Scenic River Expansion Act of 2013
  • S. 459, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site Boundary Modification Act

The committee favorably reported the bills as part of its first markup in March.