Arctic Executive Order chills Murkowski

While calling President Obama’s recent Executive Order on the Arctic a good forward step in strengthening the coordination of federal agencies on Arctic policy, Senator Lisa Murkowski said it is unbalanced to what the nation’s Arctic priorities should be.

Entitled, “Enhancing Coordination of National Efforts in the Arctic,” the Executive Order seeks direct input from Alaska’s Arctic stakeholders.

“Once again, the President remains focused on climate change,” Murkowski said. “I agree climate change is an issue facing our nation and my state, but for President Obama and many of his ideological allies, the plan for the Arctic boils down to two words: hands off.”

Murkowski said, “the memo fails to acknowledge the needs and opportunities of the indigenous people of the Arctic, who have subsisted in the region for centuries – and that we have the opportunity to improve the lives of the people that live there, while respecting the time-honored traditions of our Inuit communities.” Murkowski said science-based decision-making is essential, but warned that “we can’t study ourselves into inaction.”

The Senator said investment and vision are needed in infrastructure, ice breakers, and a predictable federal oil and gas permitting process to craft an Arctic economy.

“I fear Alaskan voices will not be adequately considered in Washington,” Murkowski said. “We are dealing with a past and present where D.C.-based groups push to lock up our lands and oceans in parks and sanctuaries, and we have had enough.”

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