For Immediate Release: August 9th, 2011
East-West Pipeline Corridor in NPR-A Critical For Oil and Gas Development
Ten Alaska lawmakers urge federal agency to include corridor in draft plans
ANCHORAGE-Ten Alaskan lawmakers today sent a letter to the Federal Bureau of Land Management, urging the agency to create an east-west pipeline corridor as it makes its area-wide plan for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
In the letter, Senators Hollis French, Bettye Davis, Johnny Ellis, Joe Thomas, and Bill Wielechowski, as well as Representatives Bryce Edgmon, Les Gara, Berta Gardner, Max Gruenberg, and Bob Miller, say the corridor is essential to further oil and gas development in the NPR-A as well as offshore drilling.
“The corridor is not only critical for facilitating oil and gas development in NPRA, it is also crucial for getting oil and gas from the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline,” said Senator French. “Using the planning process to ensure that there is a clear path for oil and gas to transit the region will reduce the possibility of conflicts in the future.”
The letter was addressed to Bob Abbey, Director of the Bureau of Land Management in Washington, DC.
The letter coincides with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s visit to Alaska, which included stops in Kodiak over the weekend and Anchorage on Monday. During meetings with various Alaskans, Salazar reiterated that President Obama backs more drilling in Alaska in places such as NPR-A. Secretary Salazar’s visit will continue through Wednesday.
To view the letter, click here. PDF of this press release here.
For more information, please contact Cindy Smith in Senator Hollis French’s office at 907-465-3892.
###