U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

Murkowski Comments on DOE Approval of Freeport LNG Export License

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement on the Department of Energy’s approval of a license to Freeport LNG to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to nations that aren’t party to U.S. free-trade agreements:

“This decision is a victory for those who believe free trade is good for the American economy. It’s my hope that Freeport is the first of many projects that will be approved in the coming weeks and months, not years. The shale gas revolution offers great economic and geopolitical benefits and we can’t afford to let special interest groups derail us from capitalizing on these opportunities.

“The vast majority of independent analyses conducted over the past year have found that exports overwhelmingly benefit the economy. Countries like Japan and India are asking us to enter the global market and it’s time we did so. DOE’s review process was deliberative, impartial and thorough, but it’s also crucial that our trading partners have confidence that export authorizations, once granted, will not be revoked.”

Murkowski is the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

Murkowski Welcomes Committee Approval of Bills Beneficial to Alaskans

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today approved 26 public lands bills, including three pieces of legislation sponsored by the committee’s ranking Republican, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska. The bills now head to the Senate floor for consideration by the full Senate.

Murkowski’s three measures included:

The Huna Tlingit Traditional Gull Egg Use Act (S. 156) restores the traditional subsistence rights of the tribal members of the Hoonah Indian Association of Southeast Alaska to gather glaucous-winged gull eggs in Glacier Bay National Park.

“Gull eggs are a traditional food source and cultural identity of the Huna Tlingit, and I believe it’s an activity they should be allowed to continue legally,” Murkowski said. “This is a no-cost piece of legislation that will allow the Alaska Native residents of Hoonah to partake in the same subsistence activities their ancestors did, and to pass those traditions down to the young people of their community.”

The Alaska Subsistence Structure Protection Act (S. 736) limits to $250 the annual fee the U.S. National Forest Service can assess on noncommercial cabins in the Tongass National Forest that are used primarily for subsistence activities.

“The Forest Service does not have a category for subsistence cabins in Alaska, so the agency charges the same high annual fee paid by commercial users,” Murkowski said. “This legislation allows a more reasonable fee for these cabins built by families and used for decades, in many cases before the National Forest was even created.”

The Geothermal Production Expansion Act (S. 363) allows the Bureau of Land Management to award geothermal leases adjacent to existing leases and geothermal discoveries on a noncompetitive basis.

“If a company has already expended considerable sums to successfully lease and drill a prospect, it’s only fair that it gets the first chance to extend its leases in order to fully tap into a geothermal resource,” Murkowski said. “This is one of the best ways to expand the current 3,200 megawatts of geothermal power in this country and help us reach the Energy Department’s goal of having 30 gigawatts of geothermal power in production by 2020.”

Senate Confirms Moniz as Energy Secretary

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today expressed her support for the nomination of Dr. Ernest Moniz to be the next Secretary of the Department of Energy. The Senate unanimously confirmed Dr. Moniz by a vote of 97-0.

“It is my hope that after his confirmation, Dr. Moniz will guide our nation’s energy policy as the respected scientist that he is: rigorously, robustly, free of preordained conclusions, and not afraid to speak up or speak his mind,” Murkowski said. “His department will benefit – and so will our nation.”

Murkowski Comments on Hydraulic Fracturing Rule on Federal Lands

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following statement on the release of the updated draft rule for hydraulic fracturing of oil and natural gas wells on federally managed lands by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM):

“It’s my belief that the states are prudently regulating hydraulic fracturing, and that BLM’s revised rule should closely track state regulations.” Murkowski said. “Federal regulators seem to acknowledge as much by asking for comments on a process that would allow drilling companies to follow state and tribal regulations that meet or exceed those proposed by this rule. While I’m still reviewing the full rule, it appears BLM has addressed some of the concerns, but we still must guard against duplicative and potentially contradictory regulations.”

Murkowski is the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies.

Sen. Murkowski Comments on Plan to Cleanup NPR-A Legacy Wells

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to calls from U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today released a draft plan for the cleanup of decades-old exploration wells drilled by the federal government in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A).

“After repeated requests, the BLM has finally released a plan to address the ongoing environmental pollution occurring within the NPR-A. That’s a step in the right direction, but I’m concerned that the agency appears to have unilaterally decided that more than half of the wells don’t require remediation. That’s not the federal government’s decision to make – that’s up to the state of Alaska,” Murkowski said.

The BLM draft plan identifies 50 sites that require remediation, and places a priority on just 16 wells for cleanup work.

From 1944 to 1981, the federal government drilled 136 exploratory wells in the NPR-A, and then abandoned them. Only 16 of the 136 wells have been properly plugged, and seven of those were taken care of by the North Slope Borough, not by BLM, which is responsible for the wells. The remaining 120 wells are in various conditions of non-compliance with state law. The drill sites, many of which are contaminated by wood, metal, plastic, glass and concrete debris are also littered with rusting barrels once filled with contaminants.

“Let me be clear, these wells were drilled by the federal government, so the cleanup is solely the responsibility of the federal government,” Murkowski said. “I expect the federal government to live up to the same high environmental standards that it holds private oil companies to – Alaskans won’t tolerate a double standard.”

On Tuesday, Murkowski called a proposal to make Alaska pay for the cleanup of the federal wells “dead on arrival.” She reminded federal officials that the federal government has earned $9.4 billion from oil and natural gas leasing in Alaska, while the legacy wells have remained an issue.

“While BLM argues it lacks the money to adequately address its responsibilities in Alaska, it continues to seek increased funding for other priorities,” Murkowski said. “My priority is seeing that the federal government fulfills its obligations to Alaska first.”

Murkowski vowed to continue to work with BLM to address the legacy wells and other Alaska priorities, in her role as the ranking member of both the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Sen. Murkowski: Bipartisan Hydropower, Energy Efficiency Legislation Could be First Energy Public Laws this Congress

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today commended her Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee colleagues for working together to advance energy legislation. The committee voted to move five bills out of committee on hydropower and energy efficiency.

“It’s encouraging to see senators from both sides of the aisle coming together to work on bipartisan energy legislation. Sen. Wyden and I have made it a priority to focus on areas of broad consensus, where we can really make something happen, and we’ve accomplished that today,” Murkowski said. “I expect these hydropower bills, followed by the energy efficiency legislation, will be our first energy-related public laws this Congress.”

The committee debated four hydropower bills – two Senate measures and their House companions – and one energy efficiency bill.

Murkowski’s Hydropower Improvement Act (S. 545) focuses on administrative actions that can be taken to advance the conventional hydropower resource. Its companion measure, H.R. 267, unanimously passed the House earlier this year by a vote of 422-0.

The Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (S. 306), sponsored by Sens. Barrasso and Risch, is designed to facilitate small conduit hydropower development at Bureau of Reclamation facilities. The House companion measure, H.R. 678, passed the House earlier this year by a vote of 416-7.

The energy efficiency legislation, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 761), is sponsored by Sens. Portman and Shaheen and aims to increase the efficiency of buildings, as well as for the industrial sector and federal agencies. The measure is supported by some 200 organizations, including a wide range of efficiency advocates and manufacturers.

The bills now move to the Senate floor.

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Sen. Murkowski’s Statement on the Helium Stewardship Act

Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following remarks during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on Helium Stewardship Act of 2013:

(click picture for video)

“First, as a practical consequence of current law, we only have until October to get this legislation to the President for signature. It is important that we meet that deadline by reporting a bill from this committee, letting the full Senate consider our work, reconciling any differences with the House, and allowing both chambers to consider the result.

“Second, I was surprised to see so many critical statements about the House’s decision to debate and advance their own helium legislation two weeks ago. Clearly, there are other pressing issues to consider, but I believe that moving legislation on a small but important issue – even as we continue to debate the larger and more divisive ones – reflects well on Congress as a whole. The floor is not just a place to have disagreements. It is also a place to take up legislation that we can agree on, as the House now has, on helium.

“I want everyone to know that Chairman Wyden and I appreciate the urgency here, and we will work with leadership to advance the bill in a timely way. In the process, I hope we can remind everyone that regular order works and is the process most likely to result in sound policymaking.

“Lastly, and on a slightly lighter note, let me say that advancing this bill will lift a weight off the shoulders of many sectors that rely upon helium. This is a noble effort that can float above the partisan fray. We should all rise in support of it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I look forward to hearing from the witnesses.”

Murkowski is the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

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Murkowski Comment on Resignation of Deputy Interior Secretary Hayes

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today released the following comment on the resignation of Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes:

“I appreciate David’s willingness to engage on difficult issues important to Alaskans, including contentious land management policies and offshore oil and gas development. The Alaska Interagency Working Group, which he headed, was central to improving the permitting process for offshore exploration,” Murkowski said. “We did not always see eye to eye on what was best for Alaska, but David was effective and fair, and always brought honesty and integrity to what were sometimes tough discussions. I am sorry to see him leave.”

Murkowski is the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee.

Sen. Murkowski: Revised Watershed Assessment of Bristol Bay Remains Flawed

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today responded to the Environmental Protection Agency’s release of a revised watershed assessment of Alaska’s Bristol Bay region.

“My review of the full document is still underway, but in the meantime I want to reiterate what I have said in the past. Attempts to prejudge any mining project before the full details of that proposal are submitted to the EPA for review is unacceptable. The permitting process exists for a reason and a federal agency can no more ignore the established process than can an applicant,” Murkowski said.

“If the EPA has concerns about the impact of a project there is an appropriate time to raise them – after a permit application has been made, not before. It is clear to me that a preemptive veto of resource development is quite simply outside the legal authority that Congress intended to provide to of the EPA. I made that clear to the previous EPA administrator and I will make it clear to the current nominee, Gina McCarthy,” Murkowski said.

The EPA undertook the watershed assessment in response to petitions to preemptively veto development in Alaska. Murkowski has continually criticized the EPA for failing to rule out using the watershed assessment to justify preemptively blocking development, including mineral production by the Pebble Limited Partnership, in Southwest Alaska.

Murkowski has also stated that EPA’s use of a hypothetical mine – much of which is designed to violate modern environmental standards – is a fundamental flaw that must be fixed if Alaskans are to make informed decisions about development in the state. The revised watershed assessment does not fix this flaw.

Murkowski has twice written to the EPA (Feb. 16, 2011 and April 18, 2012) about her concerns with the agency’s Bristol Bay watershed assessment, including whether a decision by the agency to block a large-scale mining operation could set a legal precedent that would prevent other development proposals. The EPA responded on Mar. 21, 2011, and May 17, 2012.

Murkowski: Increased Energy Production Depends on Access to Water

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today delivered the following opening statement at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on drought and the effect on energy and water management.

(Click for video of Murkowski’s opening statement)

“Together, energy and water resources are the foundation of our nation’s economy and are essential to our nation’s future and international security.

“All forms of energy production, energy distribution, fuel extraction, and fuel refinement require water or affect water resources in some way. Every aspect of extraction, treatment, conveyance, and use of water, as well as the treatment of wastewater, is dependent on sufficient and reliable energy. Moreover, energy use by these systems is significant regionally, which is important to understand as we look at the implications of drought on a regional and local level.

“To improve the fundamental relationship between energy use and water use, we need a lot more information, both regarding water and energy. Specifically, I would like to:

Identify all existing federal research authorities and activities that are currently authorized to address the interdependency of energy and water systems but are not actively doing so;

Ensure that DOE, and the DOI have the authority to facilitate multi?agency efforts to develop energy and water interdependency R&D;

Ensure that the DOE and DOI develop planning tools to avoid multi?use water conflicts and to ensure that energy and water interdependencies are coordinated.

Authorize a coordinated research investment by multiple federal agencies in the development and implementation of certain energy?water technologies. These technologies should address the interdependency of energy and water systems and multi?purpose water and energy system planning.

“It is my hope that we can proceed in the near future with legislation to address issues associated with water management and energy and fuel production.”

Archived video of the full hearing can be viewed at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.

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Senate Subcommittee Advances Sealaska Lands Bill to Fulfill ANCSA Promises

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today testified before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Public Lands Subcommittee in support of legislation to complete the aboriginal land claims promised to shareholders of the Sealaska Native Regional Corp. more than 40 years ago under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

(Click to play video)

“The primary purpose of the Sealaska legislation is simple: it settles the outstanding aboriginal land claims under the ANCSA,” Murkowski said. “We have made more than 175 changes to the bill over the last two years to address the majority of the concerns raised by local communities and interested stakeholders. I think these changes have vastly improved the bill from the 2008 original. I know this latest version won’t make everyone happy, but it is a fair, equitable and workable solution to the complicated land patterns in Alaska’s Panhandle.”

The revised Southeast Alaska Native Land Entitlement Finalization and Jobs Protection Act (S.340) establishes where and how Sealaska may select 70,075 acres of land owed to it under ANCSA.

The bill steers Sealaska’s timber harvesting activities toward second-growth timber, areas where roads and other infrastructure already exists, to minimize any potential impact on old-growth timber in the Tongass.

Under the proposal, Sealaska would receive about 68,400 acres of land for timber development, and an additional 1,099 acres for other economic development projects, such as hydroelectric generation and marine hydrokinetic activity, and tourism near the communities of Yakutat, Kake and Hydaburg.

The bill also places 152,000 acres into conservation areas to further protect old-growth timber and important aquatic resources.

“This legislation will finally deliver on the promise the federal government made to Southeast Alaska Natives in 1971. At the same time, it ensures continued public access to the lands Sealaska selects,” Murkowski said.

This version of the bill removes some 26,000 acres of land selections on northern Prince of Wales Island. Language has also been added to create buffers along key fisheries and anchorage areas for fishermen. The bill also addresses the U.S. Forest Service’s request to retain lands deemed important for its transition to second-growth timber in the Tongass.

Archived video of the full hearing can be viewed at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.

Sen. Murkowski Expresses Support for Hydropower and Efficiency

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today gave the following remarks during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources hearing on her Hydropower Improvement Act (S. 545), as well as the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (S. 306) and the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 761):

(Click picture to watch video)

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for convening this hearing to consider hydropower and energy efficiency legislation. I’ve long been a strong hydropower proponent. I consider hydropower to be our hardest working renewable resource and one that often gets overlooked in the clean energy debate. To me there is no question that our largest source of renewable electricity is, and must continue to be, part of our energy solution.

“The good news is that the hydropower resource is finally getting the recognition it deserves. There’s broad bipartisan and bicameral support for the two hydropower measures before us today. The Hydropower Improvement Act, my legislation to advance conventional hydropower, has been cosponsored by Chairman Wyden and Senators Risch, Cantwell and Udall, all members of this Committee, as well as Senators Begich, Bennett, Crapo, and Murray. And H.R. 267, the companion bill sponsored by Representatives McMorris-Rodgers and DeGette, has already passed the House again this year – with absolutely no opposition – by a vote of 422-0. The legislation is supported by the National Hydropower Association, American Rivers, and a host of other organizations.

“The other hydropower measure before us today, S. 306, the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act, sponsored by Senators Barrasso and Risch, would spur on the development of hydropower at Reclamation’s existing canals and conduits. H.R. 678, the companion legislation sponsored by Representative Tipton, recently passed the House overwhelmingly by a vote of 416-7. We’ve also received strong support from stakeholders such as the American Public Power Association, the Family Farm Alliance, the Oregon Water Resources Congress and the Colorado River Energy Distributors Association.

“As with hydropower, I continue to believe that efficiency is part of an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy plan. I also see it as a ‘bottom line’ issue – an area where it is in our best interest to find agreement due to the current fiscal constraints we face as a nation. I’d like to commend Senators Portman and Shaheen for again coming together to introduce the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, legislation that aims to increase the efficiency of our homes and buildings, as well as for the industrial sector and federal agencies. This measure is supported by some 200 organizations, including a wide range of efficiency advocates and manufacturers.

“It is my hope that we can move these bills quickly through the Committee and the full Senate so we can provide the President with the opportunity to sign meaningful energy legislation into law.”

The full committee hearing can be viewed here.

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Sen. Murkowski Delivers Global Keynote at Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today delivered the Global Keynote speech at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) “Future of Energy” Summit in New York City.

Murkowski’s remarks focused on her Energy 20/20 blueprint for moving the nation toward energy independence. The document, which was introduced earlier this year, includes more than 200 policy recommendations to ensure that the United States has access to energy that is abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure. She also provided a congressional update and suggested several “rules of engagement” for a more productive energy debate.

Murkowski’s prepared remarks:

“My roles as the Ranking Member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, as a Senator for Alaska, and as a consumer of energy have given me a deep and abiding appreciation for energy. Through them I have come to understand the tremendous opportunities – and the often-daunting challenges – that our nation faces in this area. In surveying the scene, I’ve repeatedly affirmed an idea that we can all agree on: we need a major “re-think” on our nation’s energy policy.

“Like many of you, I’ve given a lot of thought to how that can be accomplished. And just over a year ago, tired of the unproductive conversation about energy in Washington, DC, I decided to try a different tack. I began working with my Energy Committee staff to put my thoughts on paper – to describe what a truly “all of the above” policy might look like for our country.

“We examined positive trends – rising production on state and private lands, the emergence of new fuels and technologies, efficiency gains in everything from appliances to vehicles to buildings. We considered the negatives – high oil prices, our aging electricity infrastructure, regulatory burdens and bureaucracy. We thought about the definition of “clean” energy, and how to provide certainty and stability to those who endeavor to pursue it. We took a long look at the proper role of government in that effort. And this comprehensive review became a comprehensive report, entitled Energy 20/20: A Vision for America’s Energy Future, which we released earlier this year.

“Energy 20/20 is driven by a simple insight: that energy is good. It provides the basis for advanced civilization and for higher standards of living. It allows us to live comfortably. It allows us to manufacture and communicate, to travel and to transport. Rarely acknowledged, but explicitly true, is that energy enables nearly every aspect of modern life.

“The cover of Energy 20/20 says it all. It shows North America at night. And if you look at the full picture, with the entire world, the areas that are lit up are the prosperous ones – America, Europe, parts of Asia. The areas that are dark – like much of Africa – are by far the most deeply impoverished, where life is often unbelievably difficult and access to energy remains scarce.

“From the insight that energy is good, I developed five attributes for our supply: we should strive to make energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse, and secure. This is really the core of my vision for our energy policy. Instead of picking one technology, instead of fixating on one fuel or one resource, we should focus on those five attributes as our desired outcomes. We should develop policies that can help achieve them. And while there is a valid role for government, we must allow competition and markets to do the great majority of the needed work.

“The next question, then, is how? My report seeks to answer that through some 200 recommendations. We grouped them under seven headings: producing more, consuming less, clean energy technology, energy delivery infrastructure, effective government, environmental responsibility, and an energy policy that pays for itself. Every idea within those areas would improve our policy, and bring about national benefits for our economy and our security.

“Here I should note: Energy 20/20 is meant to be a conversation starter, not a term sheet for legislation. But I’m quite happy with the positive reception it has received. And today it appears possible to make progress on a number of the ideas within it, including many that relate to new energy technologies.

“First, to borrow a common cliché, we should ‘level the playing field.’ Next, we must support new technologies – through policies that are themselves sustainable. Finally, we need innovation, with a serious emphasis on lowering costs.

“A good example of ‘leveling the playing field’ is the extension of eligibility for the Master Limited Partnership, a structure that is currently available to certain companies in the oil and gas sector. Senator Coons will soon re-introduce legislation bringing parity to renewables and energy efficiency, enabling companies in those sectors to structure themselves as MLPs. As you know, the MLP can be a great mechanism for raising capital in a competitive environment.

“The federal government can also help reduce some of the risk inherent to clean technologies. And we can start by thinking outside the box, by ensuring that the United States is producing the needed raw materials. We depend on minerals for everything from the smallest computer chips to the tallest skyscrapers. We need them for solar panels, advanced batteries, and just about every other high-tech component and product. Entire technologies depend on the availability of minerals, and yet too many policymakers routinely ignore that fact.

“We currently tie for dead last in the world – with Papua New Guinea – in the amount of time it takes to permit a mine. It’s no wonder mineral-related investments in our country have fallen off a cliff over the last 20 years. We are now more than 50 percent dependent on foreign suppliers for 41 minerals, and 100 percent dependent on imports for 18 of them. That has to change if we want new energy technologies to be developed and manufactured here in America – and I will soon re-introduce my bipartisan bill to ensure that it does. To borrow a phrase from the president, our economy will never be ‘built to last’ if we lack its most important building blocks.

“At the other end of the spectrum are much-needed reforms that can help save the Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program. It is true that many have called for the entire program to end, but I believe that’s only necessary for the division created by the stimulus act. It is possible to preserve the program that Congress established in 2005, and to protect taxpayers fully from further losses. I plan to work with the Chairman of the Energy Committee, Ron Wyden, who has indicated his interest in this issue. And we would genuinely appreciate your input as we proceed.

“To help reduce the cost of new technologies, our focus will be on removing roadblocks, sensible funding, and innovation. I’m convinced that our bipartisan bill to make simple administrative improvements for clean, renewable hydropower will be the first energy bill signed into law in this Congress. Within our committee, members are also working on legislation related to marine hydrokinetic power, geothermal, technology transfer, and spent nuclear fuel – to name just a few. Another bill that has promise is the energy efficiency blueprint being spearheaded by Senators Portman and Shaheen.

Some of the most important work we undertake on energy will relate to R&D. I can tell you, from recent conversations alone, that there is strong bipartisan and bicameral interest in legislation that promotes innovation – this has support in both parties and in both chambers. And while there is a tendency to focus exclusively on renewable energy, remember that unconventional resources like methane hydrates, which could supply a steady stream of natural gas that lasts for thousands of years, also have incredible promise.

“One of the most enduring ways to boost research will be through the creation of an ‘Advanced Energy Trust Fund.’ You may have heard the president talk about this concept. Mine’s a bit different, in that it is fully paid-for, and could actually make it through Congress as a result. It would use a share of the receipts from new energy production on lands that are currently off-limits to fund new energy research. This is a way to help establish an energy policy that pays for itself, and to avoid the volatility of the federal budget cycle. It offers a chance to reduce our costly dependence on foreign oil, to keep energy affordable and abundant, and to boost R&D without raising taxes or increasing the deficit. And it would be a shame if this opportunity is squandered.

“Outside of the Energy Committee’s jurisdiction is tax reform. The sooner we start that process, the better. The Code is filled with loopholes, preferences, exemptions, and special treatments, all designed to incentivize behavior or lessen the consequences of top rates that are too high. Tax reform is a hugely important issue, especially when it comes to energy. Our goal must be to provide certainty as far out as possible. That doesn’t mean subsidies should continue to grow more expensive even as the costs of technologies fall – but, hopefully, we can provide at least a three-to-five year window where investments can be made without a material shift in policies.

“There’s a lot we can do. But the real question is whether we will actually do any of it. And that depends, to a large degree, on the tenor of the debate. So let me suggest a couple ‘rules of engagement’ that will hopefully help guide your conversations at this conference – and any that you may have with policymakers and other stakeholders after it concludes.

“First, look for areas of agreement – not fights that can be picked. There is a long list of areas where agreement will not be reached, and we could spend all of our time arguing about them. The end result would be a lot of acrimony, but nothing more. If we’re going to improve our energy policy, everyone from the President on down will need to copy the approach that Chairman Wyden and I are taking on the Energy Committee. We must start with the policies we agree on – get them finished – and go from there.

“Second, keep jobs and economic growth in mind. Last month’s report showed that just 88,000 jobs were created. Unemployment remains too high, at 7.6 percent. The labor force participation rate is at its lowest level since 1979. Any policy that threatens growth or portends job losses, especially those that explicitly seek to increase the cost of energy or subvert its use, will only serve to grind the debate to a halt.

“For this reason, I believe very strongly in free trade and the responsible development of American energy exports. With an eye toward job creation and increased prosperity, the Department of Energy should move with timely purpose on reviewing the applications pending before it for the construction of LNG export facilities. Our country is already exporting record levels of gas to Mexico via pipeline and there is no economic reason not to expand that trade if market conditions allow.

“Finally, please don’t forget our other immense limitation at the federal level – $16.8 trillion in debt, and counting. To be very blunt, the more a bill costs, the lower its odds of passage. It is difficult and sometimes distracting to try and offset the costs of new legislation, but given our fiscal situation, there is no other choice. The silver lining is that this offers a chance to be creative. In recent years the assumption has been that substantial deployment subsidies are the best and perhaps only way to unlock substantial private investment. Yet some of our best options, including the ones I mentioned a few minutes ago, would come at little or no cost to taxpayers.

“We can make energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse, and secure. What we need to get there is a truly national energy policy … a policy that will strengthen our economy … that will protect our security … that will give certainty to businesses and investors … and that will continue to build on our tremendous record of environmental protection. I’ve put my blueprint on the table, in the form of Energy 20/20. Now I’m ready to work with my colleagues in Congress – and anyone else who is interested – to start making genuine progress at the federal level.”

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Sen. Murkowski: ‘All of the Above’ Missing from DOE Budget

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said the Department of Energy’s $28.4 billion budget proposal fails to support the kind of comprehensive policies needed to improve the nation’s security and return its economic vitality.

“While the administration has repeatedly pledged to support an ‘all of the above’ energy policy, I still do not see that reflected here,” Murkowski told Deputy Energy Secretary Daniel Poneman at the DOE budget hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday.

Murkowski questioned Poneman on the department’s declining support for unconventional fossil energy technologies and lack of emphasis on marine hydrokinetics and hydropower research, despite the monumental promise these sources of energy hold. Under Murkowski’s questioning, Poneman testified that the department’s Office of Fossil Energy is working “as quickly as they possibly can” to review applications for additional liquefied gas export facilities.

“Finding ways to develop and improve the recovery of the vast amounts of unconventional resources such as oil shale, heavy oil, tar sands and methane hydrates locked in reservoirs throughout the United States is critical to our efforts to reduce our reliance on OPEC oil. Yet, the budget request once again zeros out funding for the unconventional fossil energy technologies program,” Murkowski said. “This budget cuts research and development for fossil energy by over $90 million. What is the rationale for deemphasizing innovative oil and gas technology when it is precisely fossil fuels that are helping revitalize America’s industry, boost our exports and create jobs?”

Murkowski earlier this year released her own blueprint for moving the nation toward energy independence. Murkowski’s Energy 20/20 includes more than 200 policy recommendations to ensure that the United States has access to energy that is abundant, affordable, clean, diverse, and secure.

“At the top of my list is greater domestic energy production – of every form of energy,” Murkowski said. “New production will not only make our energy supplies more affordable, but also bring new revenues for the federal treasury.”

At the start of Thursday’s hearing, the committee voted 21-1 in favor of sending the nomination of Dr. Ernest Moniz to be the next head of DOE to the full Senate for a vote.

full video of the hearing can be viewed on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.

Sen. Murkowski Introduces Bill to Assist Tongass Subsistence Users

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, yesterday introduced the Alaska Subsistence Structure Protection Act of 2013. The legislation (S. 736) would limit the fees the National Forest Service (USFS) could charge owners of private cabins on National Forest land that are used primarily for subsistence purposes.

“It’s wrong for the Forest Service to charge subsistence users for owning cabins on National Forest land at the same rate as they charge commercial operators,” Murkowski said. “Subsistence is a vital part of life for many Southeast Alaska families.”

There are roughly 60 privately owned cabins in the Tongass that are used primarily for hunting, fishing and gathering wild foods. The Forest Service recently increased annual user fees to about $900 per year – an amount that most subsistence users cannot afford. The recently increased fee is equal to what the Forest Service charges commercial operators for use of similar structures in the Tongass.

The Forest Service claims current law does not allow them to differentiate between commercial and subsistence cabins. Murkowski’s bill will remedy that situation, allowing the Forest Service to create a new subsistence-use category for Alaska.

The legislation would allow for a $250 annual fee, enough to cover the administrative costs of running the program so taxpayers are not subsidizing the program.

The full bill is attached.

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Sen. Murkowski: Forest Service Budget Ignores Multiple Use Mission

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said the U.S. Forest Service budget proposal was more suitable for the National Park Service than an agency responsible for managing the nation’s 193 million acres of forests and grasslands.

“Management under this proposed budget is focused on tourism and recreation and ecosystem values such as wildlife habitat. I agree these are important, but the fundamental tenet of multiple-use also includes the development of our natural resources,” Murkowski said. “And in Southeast Alaska, and I know in many rural communities across the West, harvesting timber is still the economic lifeblood.”

(Click for video of Murkowski saying the Forest Service has lost sight of its original mission.)

Murkowski, the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, on Tuesday questioned U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell on the agency’s 2014 budget proposal, which includes a 15 percent reduction in proposed timber sales.

“Our national forests are increasingly being managed like national parks – areas in which no timber harvesting is permitted,” Murkowski said. “The Forest Service must return to its multiple-use mission. The economic viability of hundreds of communities located next to national forests depends on the responsible production of our timber resources.”

The Forest Service budget requests $4.9 billion in discretionary spending — a $6 million decrease from its current budget. Nearly half of the Forest Service’s budget request (42 percent) is for firefighting activities.

Murkowski called out the Forest Service for requesting a 72 percent increase in funding to purchase new lands while it is cutting funding for timber sales and has a $6 billion maintenance backlog on its existing properties. (Video here.)

Murkowski also criticized the decision to re-impose the roadless rule in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, saying the restrictions are making it nearly impossible to build needed transmission lines to deliver abundant and affordable renewable energy to local communities. Murkowski said she would personally give Forest Service Chief Tidwell a tour of the impacted Southeast Alaska communities. (Video here.)

“The economic wellbeing of Southeast Alaska – and many small towns across the West – is wholly dependent on the active management of our national forest lands,” Murkowski said. “This budget raises the very real question of whether those communities have a future under this administration.”

The Forest Service manages more than 22 million acres of national forest lands in Alaska, including nearly all of the land in Southeast. That is more acres than the entire 52 national forests located in the eastern and southern United States.

Murkowski’s opening statement can be viewed here. Full video of the hearing can be viewed on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.

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Murkowski: Forest Service’s Attempt to Take Back Secure Rural School Payments ‘Adding Insult to Injury’

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today blasted the U.S. Forest Service for trying to retroactively “claw back” payments made to Southeast Alaska timber communities under the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act.

At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing Tuesday on the Forest Service’s 2014 budget request, Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said that because of the automatic, across-the-board federal budget cuts commonly known as “sequestration,” Alaska would be expected to return the 5.1 percent of the timber payments received earlier this year to the U.S. Treasury. Tidwell last month sent a letter to the state of Alaska asking for the return of $826,000 in timber payments.

“To suggest that we’re going to claw back the revenues that we’ve given you… and if you can’t return that money, then we’re going to ding you with penalties and fines. For Heaven’s sake, we have got to figure out a better path forward than that,” Murkowski told Tidwell.

Secure Rural Schools requires the Forest Service to make payments to communities impacted by the severe decline in timber receipts from national forest lands. Communities that once had thriving timber industries now depend on the funds to pay for schools, emergency services and other local services.

“Many of our rural communities are dependent on these payments only because the Forest Service has failed to actively manage our forests,” Murkowski said. “We are going to have to either utilize our federal lands to support our rural communities or we should divest the federal government of those lands and let the states, or the counties, manage those lands.”

The Forest Service manages more than 22 million acres of national forest lands in Alaska, including nearly all of the land in Southeast.

Full video of the hearing can be viewed on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee website.

Murkowski: Suggesting Alaska Should Pay for Overdue Federal Obligations is Outrageous

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today criticized the Department of the Interior (DOI) for attempting to stick Alaska with the bill for federal responsibilities that have been neglected for decades.

Under the president’s 2014 budget proposal for DOI, Alaska’s 50-percent share of revenue from oil and natural gas activity in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) would be diverted from the state to pay for the cleanup of legacy wells that were drilled by the federal government.

“The idea that this administration would rob the state to clean up this mess is unbelievable,” Murkowski said. “These are federal wells that were drilled on federal lands and every day since then have remained a federal obligation. At no point should our state’s revenues be swiped to pay for them.”

The administration’s proposal seeks to “temporarily halt” Alaska’s share to pay for cleaning up more than 100 abandoned oil wells drilled decades ago by the federal government and for completing land conveyances owed to the state and Alaska Natives since as far back as statehood in 1959.

“This is another slap to the state by the federal management agencies. Not only does the federal government not live up to its promises, but now the administration wants to stick us with the bill,” Murkowski said. “It’s disturbing enough that we are blocked from producing oil on the vast majority of federal lands within Alaska, and that long overdue land conveyances still have not been completed. To now declare that the federal government is entitled to the meager revenues that may trickle in over the next few years is a breach of trust – and it shows a complete lack of awareness on the part of this administration.”

Murkowski, as the ranking Republican on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, holds both authorizing power and budgetary oversight of the Department of the Interior.

Legacy Wells

From 1944 to 1981, the federal government drilled 136 wells in what’s now the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) within the Department of the Interior is federal custodian of these wells. Only 16 of the wells have been properly plugged, and seven of those were taken care of by the North Slope Borough, not by BLM. The remaining 120 wells are in various conditions of non-compliance with state law.

BLM’s Alaska office receives about $1 million a year to clean up the abandoned wells. The last three wells they remediated cost $2 million each. At its current pace, it will take the BLM 100 years to clean up the remaining wells. The state cannot impose fines on the federal government for violating state regulations. If it could, the fines would exceed $8 billion dollars. If the statute of limitations were waived, the fines would exceed $40 billion dollars.

Alaska Land Conveyance Program

The federal government’s conveyance program of land owed to Alaska and Alaska Natives is mandated under the over 42-year-old Alaska Native Settlement Claims Act (ANCSA).

The Bureau of Land Management is once again proposing a deep cut in funding for Alaska land conveyances required by the 2004 Alaska Land Conveyance Acceleration Act. The 2014 funding proposal includes just $17 million – a nearly 50 percent cut from 2012 funding levels. At this annual funding level, BLM estimates it will take as much as 80 years to finish patenting the land conveyances.

Murkowski Comments on ConocoPhillips’ Decision to Cancel 2014 Chukchi Exploration Because of Regulatory Uncertainty

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today said ConocoPhillips’ decision to postpone exploration in the Chukchi Sea because of federal regulatory uncertainty was disappointing but not unexpected.

“I’m disappointed that ConocoPhillips won’t be moving forward with its Arctic program next year – Alaska and the nation need the energy and the jobs that new oil production off Alaska’s coast would bring – but it’s a decision that’s not unexpected,” Murkowski said. “Companies can’t be expected to invest billions of dollars without some assurance that federal regulators are not going to change the rules on them almost continuously. The administration has created an unacceptable level of uncertainty when it comes to the rules for offshore exploration that must be fixed if we’re going to end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.”

ConocoPhillips on Wednesday announced it was putting its 2014 Chukchi Sea exploration plans on hold until there was a reliable and predictable regulatory framework at the federal level. ConocoPhillips has a stake in 98 leases in the Chukchi Sea.

Murkowski Questions DOE Nominee Moniz on Support for LNG Exports

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:00:01 EST

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today challenged Ernest Moniz, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Department of Energy, to be, if confirmed, a strong voice within the administration for policies that are clearly and unambiguously working to keep energy abundant, affordable, clean, diverse and secure.

(Click for video of Murkowski’s opening statement)

Murkowski questioned the Energy Department nominee on his support for exporting natural gas, efforts to expand the use of hydropower and the nation’s continued use of coal to generate electricity. Moniz testified Tuesday before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Murkowski cautioned Moniz on the need to reform some existing programs at the Department of Energy, reminding the nominee that the department has in recent years made a series of bad or unnecessary bets – on Solyndra, A123, and others – that have left taxpayers on the hook for substantial losses.

“All of us would do well to remember that success is not measured through spending or good intentions, but the actual results that are achieved,” Murkowski said.

(Click for video of Murkowski questioning Moniz)

Murkowski, the committee’s ranking Republican, told the nominee that she remains committed to providing appropriate oversight of the Department of Energy and ensuring that its programs are providing real benefit to American taxpayers.

“I’m optimistic that our committee can also reform some of these programs and end those that aren’t working as planned,” Murkowski said. “But we will also need help from our Secretary of Energy. Policy and management are different animals, and the person we confirm to run DOE must excel at both.”

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