Begich introduces Arctic oil spill bills

U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, has introduced three bills aimed at safe and responsible oil and gas development in the Arctic. The bills would initiate comprehensive Arctic oil spill research and planning; require transport of oil ashore by pipeline; and provide Alaska with revenues from offshore development.

“Arctic oil and gas development is a necessary part of any comprehensive national energy policy which is needed if we are going to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” Begich said in a statement.

The senator said the U.S. needs to “build the necessary infrastructure and do everything possible to prevent oil spills, but we also need to get moving on our oil and gas development to secure economic and national security.”

“And there’s absolutely no reason Alaskans shouldn’t get their fair share of revenues from our OCS development,” he said.

Versions of the bills were also introduced in the last Congress.

• The Responsible Arctic Energy Development Act directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and other federal agencies to conduct research to improve oil spill prevention, response and recovery in the Arctic.

• The Resources for Oil Spill Research and Prevention Act funds Arctic oil spill research and planning efforts by increasing the per barrel contribution to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund by 3 cents per barrel for domestic oil and by 7 cents per barrel for imported oil, amounts estimated to raise some $300 million annually.

• The Alaska Adjacent Zone Safe Oil Transport and Revenue Sharing Act secures a share of federal revenues from offshore oil and gas development for the State of Alaska and Alaska’s coastal communities equal to that provided to Gulf Coast states from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The bill also requires oil produced in federal waters in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas to be brought to shore by pipeline.

—Petroleum News