Alaska’s economy was built around its status as America’s leading energy producer. We sell almost 10 times as much energy as we use, but these benefits have not been adequately reinvested to help Alaska families and communities facing today’s energy crisis. Instead, oil companies are posting record profits while hard-working Alaska families are struggling to meet rising energy costs. We need to take steps now to help Alaska families and invest in Alaska’s energy infrastructure to ensure that we have a strong, sustainable economy. As U.S. Senator, Mark Begich will work across party lines to implement a new Alaska energy plan that works for Alaska families and communities.

Harnessing Alaska’s Energy Potential

Mark Begich will work with Alaska’s energy industry to regain the state’s stature as a major energy producer. Now more than ever, Alaska is in a position to provide Alaska families, Alaska businesses, and the nation with cleaner-burning energy from an Alaska natural gas pipeline. Alaska also has an unprecedented opportunity to be a national leader in renewable energy development and implementation of energy efficient technology. Begich’s Energy Plan will not only create an expanded Alaska energy economy, but also provide Alaska families and communities with reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the 21st century. As U.S. Senator, Mark will:

• Secure Alaska’s fair share of revenues from offshore OCS oil and gas leases to fund a new community-based renewable energy program and deployment of energy efficiency technology;
• Establish national and state targets of generating at least 25% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025;
• Set a national and state target to reduce energy consumption 25% by 2018 through energy efficiency;
• Insist the oil and gas industry employ the most current technology to reduce the “footprint” of development;
• Work across party lines to open Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to responsible oil and gas development including the pursuit of directional drilling through the adjacent Sourdough discovery well;
• Work with gasline developers and the state administration to guarantee the project puts Alaskans to work, funds workforce training and education, brings Alaska gas to Alaskans first, and shares gasline revenues with Alaska communities; and
• Protect the Alaska gasline project against any congressional attempts to levy new taxes on the profits, which could cut into state revenues from the gas.

Looking To Alaska’s Future

Alaska’s skyrocketing costs for all forms of energy require new thinking and new technological innovations to assure a more stable energy future for Alaskans. Alaska should be a world-leader in developing our non-renewable and renewable resources responsibly and in a way that improves local economies. Alaska can – and should – be exporting these energy innovations into the world market. Mark Begich will push for substantial increases in national funding for renewable energy generation and storage research and development, and expand University of Alaska research and development programs to develop new non-renewable, renewable, and energy efficient technologies.

The science of climate change is clear: if we don’t act immediately to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions the cost of doing nothing will far outweigh the cost of taking action. Mark Begich will support national legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 through a cap and trade system. A major portion of the emissions allowances should be auctioned off with a fair share of the revenues put into an Alaska Adaptation Fund to provide immediate assistance to Alaska communities already suffering the impacts of climate change and to help protect Alaska infrastructure from future damage caused by climate change.