FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: ROBERT DILLON (202) 224-6977
MARCH 25, 2010 or ANNE JOHNSON (202) 224-7875
Murkowski Announces $2.15 million disbursement to Study North Slope Coastline
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today announced that Alaska’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) was awarded $2.25 million in revenue sharing to monitor water quality off the North Slope.
The grant from the Minerals Management Service (MMS) comes from the Coastal Impact Assessment Program (CIAP) and will be used to expand the Alaska Monitoring and Assessment Program to include not only waters in Alaska’s Southcentral and Southeast regions, but also an area in the Chukchi Sea.
“It is absolutely essential that we continue to update our information about our coastal areas in order to make sound policy decisions regarding responsible development," Murkowski said. “This program, derived from revenue from Alaska’s offshore oil and gas lease sales, helps get us one step closer to understanding the Arctic and how to preserve its way of life amidst all of the changes taking place."
This project uses water-sampling techniques to estimate and monitor water quality status. This information can then be used to help protect and restore marine environments.
The coastline from Point Hope to Point Barrow is the area to be studied. The Coastal Impact Assistance Program (CIAP) was authorized by Congress to provide one billion dollars in revenue sharing from offshore oil and gas leasing to impacted coastal states and communities. Over $800 million remains for the Minerals Management Service to pay out under the program. #
For further information, please contact Robert Dillon at 202.224.6977 or Robert_dillon@energy.senate.gov or Anne Johnson at 202.224.7875 or anne_johnson@energy.senate.gov.
Visit our website at http://energy.senate.gov/public/
