Salazar: “A key component of reducing our country’s dependence on foreign oil is the environmentally-responsible exploration and development of America’s…resources”

Hallelujah. The Interior Department’s bureaucracy that oversees offshore energy production – the Minerals Management Services (MMS) – finally cleared the way earlier today for responsible, job-creating energy production in the Chukcki Sea. Well, not exactly. But, as Sen. Murkowski says: “This is progress.”

Secretary Salazar didn’t exactly wax poetic, but here’s what he said in a press release entitled “Salazar Conditionally Approves Shell’s Exploration Plan For Certain Chukchi Sea Leases”:

“A key component of reducing our country’s dependence on foreign oil is the environmentally-responsible exploration and development of America’s renewable and conventional resources,” said Salazar. “By approving this Exploration Plan, we are taking a cautious but deliberate step toward developing additional information on the Chukchi Sea.”

In 2008, Shell’s subsidiary paid $2.1 billion for leases during Chukchi Sea Oil and Gas Lease Sale 193. The 2008 sale was included in the previous Administration’s 2007-2012 Five-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Program to cover leasing for oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf for that five-year period.  The Exploration Plan now approved allows Shell to drill up to three exploration wells during the July-October open water drilling season.

“Our approval of Shell’s plan is conditioned on close monitoring of Shell’s activities to ensure that they are conducted in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” added Salazar. “These wells will allow the Department to develop additional information and to evaluate the feasibility of future development in the Chukchi Sea.

Sens. Murkowski and Begich were also quick to applaud Sec. Salazar and MMS’s for finally getting off their respective cans and moving forward with a commonsense plan that will create good jobs up here and help drive down foreign oil imports from unstable regions of the world.

US Sen. Lisa Murkowski

“This is progress,” Murkowski said. “Today’s announcement from the MMS is an encouraging sign that Alaska’s oil and natural gas resources can continue to play a major role in America’s energy security.”

“While this represents a step forward, significant hurdles remain before exploration can advance in the Chukchi,” Murkowski said.

US Sen. Mark Begich

“This is another positive step for Alaska’s oil and gas industry. While challenges remain, approval of this exploration plan demonstrates Alaska will continue to play an important role in helping meet America’s energy needs.”

“I will continue to work with Interior Secretary Salazar to include protections that address concerns Alaskans and the rest of the nation have to develop these resources in a responsible manner,” Begich said. “The successful development of these reserves and those of the Beaufort Sea are key to the long term viability of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and the future of the Alaska natural gas pipeline.”

In a letter this week from Alaska Senators Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich and the state’s at-large congressman, Don Young, to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, the delegation writes:

We write in support of Shell Oil’s application for the 2010 Chukchi Sea plan of exploration (POE). As you are well aware, the Chukchi represents what is certainly among the largest conventional, unexplored oil and natural gas fields in the U.S. Shell has spent years of work and billions of dollars to satisfy the complex logistics, planning, and permitting process required by law. We have previously communicated to you this significance of this energy resources to Alaska’s economy, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, and domestic energy security.

So how much has Shell spent? Well, according to the delegations release:

Shell Oil, which early last year spent $2.1 billion for exploration rights in the Chukchi, has been unable to proceed with plans to drill up to two exploratory wells on its leases in 2010 because Interior officials have failed to complete a court-ordered environmental assessment in a timely manner.

The delegation didn’t mince words and was straightforward in their release.

Sen. Murkowski

“This delay has gone on long enough. It’s time to get development of Alaska’s resources back on track.”

Congressman Young

“Natural resources are the lifeblood of any developed country and the Chukchi Sea has some of the largest potential in the U.S.”

And in a separate release, under the headline “Begich Pushes Alaska Oil and Gas Development with Top Obama Officials; Calls for Aggressive OCS Development, Gasline Construction,” Alaska’s junior senator says:

“Alaska has long served as this nation’s energy storehouse and with responsible oil and gas development off our coast and a gasline, we can create thousands of good-paying American jobs, supply American homes and factories with clean-burning energy and improve our energy security.”

Sen. Begich’s release also noted that he’s not afraid to buck the party line and full-court press the administration on responsible, job-creating Alaskan energy development:

Begich urged approval of outer continental shelf (OCS) leasing in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea and said construction of an Alaska gasline project can create more American jobs than any single project on the horizon, at a meeting in his office with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Carol Browner, special assistant to the president at the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change.