10.07.16

Sullivan Comments on State of Alaska’s Nominations in OCS Lease Sale Program

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) released the following statement today in support of Alaska Governor Bill Walker’s recent letter to Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell nominating the Beaufort and Chukchi seas and Cook Inlet for inclusion in the 2017-2022 proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease sale program. 

“It is of vital importance to Alaska and the nation’s economic and energy security that the Obama Administration keeps the proposed lease sales on the OCS in the Cook Inlet, and Beaufort and Chukchi seas in the next five year leasing plan,” said Senator Sullivan. “We need a mindset at the state and federal levels that supports oil and natural gas production through creative solutions and modernizing our regulatory process. The State of Alaska and industry stakeholders have time and again demonstrated the keen interest in, and need for, continued exploration and production on state, Alaska Native and federal lands. Maintaining access in the Arctic OCS for exploration and future oil and natural gas production will allow us to pragmatically utilize and deploy our vast energy resource to ensure abundant and secure energy supplies well into the future.” 

###