FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 09/06/2023

ANCHORAGE – In the national Republican weekly address this morning, U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan showed he would put national party politics above working for real solutions to boost Alaska energy production. In the address Sullivan showed his lack of history with Alaska and the state’s decades-long struggle to open federal land and waters to oil and gas production.

“Increasing Alaska energy production isn’t about party politics, in the 2000’s there was Republican control of the Senate, House and White House and Alaska got nowhere with oil and gas development on federal land and water,” said Susanne Fleek-Green, Campaign Manager for Alaskans for Begich. “While Louisiana got offshore revenue sharing in those days, Alaska lost out on billions.”

While Senator Mark Begich has been in office, Alaska has made huge strides in developing our oil and gas resources on federal lands and waters:

• Historic progress in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas with permits for offshore drilling granted to Shell [New York Times, 5/23/12]
• Permits secured for the Colville River bridge to allow ConocoPhillips to move forward on National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) drilling [Hearst, 2/13/14]
• First-ever development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that is bringing over $1 billion in new investment to Alaska and creating over 500 good paying jobs. [Alaska Journal of Commerce, 11/7/13]
• Gas exports licenses granted for the ConocoPhillips Nikiski facility and gas exports planned to restart [Petroleum News, 4/20/14]
• NPR-A developments at CD-5 and GMT-1 projects expected to produce more than 45,000 barrels/day. [Alaska Journal of Commerce, 11/7/13]

Meanwhile:

• Parnell Administration Announced The State Would “Back Out” For Planning Development On NPR-A in 2012. [Los Angeles Times,9/13/12]

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