Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s office sends word of her testimony to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar at a federal hearing in Anchorage, urging the Obama administration to stand by Salazar’s confirmation hearing statement favoring “wise, responsible use of conventional fuels,” such as the oil and gas resources found in abundance in the Outer Continental Shelf.
“Alaska has consistently supported oil and gas development in our OCS,” Governor Palin testified. “We have done so recognizing that certain areas should be exempted from leasing, or have seasonal drilling restrictions imposed to protect whale migrations. We have done so because we recognize the significance OCS development will have on the nation’s and the state’s economic and energy future. We have done so because we know oil and gas development can occur appropriately, while protecting the environment, the species and the people impacted. We have proven this can be done.
“The fact that Alaska’s OCS potential to produce oil and gas is world-class is supported by the best peer reviewed scientific estimates. Alaska’s oil and gas resources can and should be a major part of the implementation of any creditable energy plan for our nation. Alaska has proven that these resources can be developed safely, but Arctic exploration and development is a slow, demanding process. Delays or major restrictions in accessing these resources for environmentally responsible development are not in the national interest or the interests of the State of Alaska.”
Palin’s remarks submitted to the Secretary of the Interior can be found here.