U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski | Lisa Murkowski Official FB
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski | Lisa Murkowski Official FB
U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski has secured pledges from Katharine MacGregor, nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, and James Danly, nominee for Deputy Secretary of Energy. Both nominees have agreed to assist the Alaska Congressional Delegation in developing the state's resources and commit to following legal requirements in notifying Congress of any substantial restructuring at their respective departments.
During a recent questioning session, Murkowski outlined various topics, including federal land management, energy production, and addressing natural hazards like wildfires. She highlighted Alaska's potential in energy production and stressed the importance of transitioning from energy imports to local resource development with federal support.
Murkowski also discussed the potential for innovations like small modular reactors, emphasizing efforts to address energy challenges ranging from microgrids to geothermal and nuclear advancements. She called for transparency in departmental restructuring and requested commitments from the nominees to meet legal notification requirements for changes within the Department of Energy and the Department of the Interior.
MacGregor and Danly both affirmed their commitment. MacGregor stated, "I can commit to obey all federal laws when it comes to efficiency efforts that we’re working on," while Danly added, "I also commit to following the law for all of the efficiency efforts." Additionally, they supported advancing Alaska's projects to minimize reliance on energy imports, with Danly declaring, "It’s crazy to think that Alaska would be importing energy."
The Senator urged prioritizing the resolution of the Bureau of Indian Affairs probate backlogs, an issue impacting both Alaska and other areas of the country. MacGregor expressed her willingness to address this matter, acknowledging its widespread impact.
Murkowski concluded by expressing her intentions to engage further with both nominees to secure support for Alaska's energy needs and recognized the potential challenges ahead.
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