Interior spending bill includes money for Alaska projects

by The Associated Press

The Interior Department spending bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee June 28 includes just under $3 million for the Bureau of Land Management to conduct oil leasing work on the North Slope.

The administration had requested $5 million, saying it planned to use some of the money to prepare for lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should Congress approve such leases.

The House Appropriations Committee cut the request by $2 million after Democrats objected to doing any work in anticipation of oil lease sales.

Also included in the bill is $2 million for the Arctic Energy Technology Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Sen. Frank Murkowski authored legislation creating the center last year. UA would also receive $1 million through the Energy Department for natural gas research and another $1 million would go to investigating ways of meeting new standards for low-sulfur diesel.