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Murkowski reports on federal energy bill Alaska’s senior senator chairs Senate side of conference committee, says she’ll make sure Alaska provisions in bill ‘don’t get lost’ TIM BRADNER For Petroleum News
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski says her top priority when Congress resumes work is crafting a House-Senate compromise on a broad bipartisan federal energy bill that passed the Senate in April 85 to 12.
Murkowski, who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is also chair of the Senate side of a House Senate conference committee. The conference committee includes the ranking Minority member on the Senate Energy Committee, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington.
“My position on the conference committee will allow me to make sure that Alaska’s provisions in the energy bill don’t get lost,” Murkowski told the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce July 25.
Crafting the bill has required a careful balancing act, with Murkowski working with Maria Cantwell, to produce a bipartisan bill, the first in years Congress will have passed if it finally happens.
Republican and Democratic members of the committee had to reach consensus on a multitude of issues and avoid partisan priorities that would have been rejected on the floor of the Senate. “Both sides had to agree to drop a few priorities to get consensus,” the senator said.
Murkowski’s good working relationship with Cantwell was crucial, she said.
More provisions in House version The House version of the bill, however, contains more provisions inserted by the Republican leadership there that will not go over well with Senate Democrats. Murkowski’s challenge in the conference committee will be to bring House members along in developing a final bill that will be acceptable.
As now written, the proposed Energy Policy Modernization Act, which has long been in the works, contains several measures beneficial to Alaska in areas of renewable and traditional energy production, mineral production, public land access, and the reauthorization of programs that provide important funding to the state.
“Chairman Murkowski’s energy bill will help Alaska produce more of its resources, lower energy costs across the state, and provide sportsmen with greater access to our federal lands,” said Robert Dillon, communications director for Lisa Murkowski for U.S. Senate.
Provisions for Alaska Alaska-related provisions include:
•Reauthorizing federal research at Prudhoe Bay on production from methane hydrates, which could provide a vast gas resource on the North Slope.
•Directs the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to coordinate more closely with the state of Alaska on federal land management plans.
•Reauthorizing federal research of Alaska’s geothermal resources which could benefit up to one-fourth of the communities in the state.
•Streamlines permitting decisions for new hydropower projects, to reduce unnecessary delays and costs.
•Authorizes expansion of the Terror Lake hydroelectric project in Kodiak.
•Promotes development of hybrid micro-grid technologies for rural communities, including the integration of renewable energy sources to reduce diesel dependency.
•Clarifies that Alaska and other states are eligible for federal loan guarantees for the deployment of new energy systems and efficiency improvements.
•Reauthorizes the State Energy Program to provide federal funding directly to the state to invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy emergency preparedness.
•Continues a program that provides funding for the state to assist in weatherization in homes of low-income Alaskans.
•Changes the definition of “Indian Tribes” in federal law to include Alaska Native corporations, so Native corporations can apply for federal hydroelectric licenses; allows Alaska Native tribes and Native corporations to be eligible for federal biomass demonstration project grants; allows Alaska tribes to apply directly for federal home weatherization funds.
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