Murkowski Morning Meeting for Tuesday,October 4, 2011

Murkowski Morning Meeting
The DC Daybook with Alaska in Mind
Tuesday, October 4, 2011

U.S. Senate – Events

The Natural Gas “Game Changer” for America

Alaskan Impact: There are trillions of cubic feet of natural gas in Alaska, with a new contract being green-lighted last week on the Kenai Peninsula. This means jobs and improved quality of life during cold Alaska winters. The Marcellus Shale gas deposit could do the same in the Lower 48, improving the entire country’s energy security,
economic growth and environmental protection. Today, the Energy Committee heard from the Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Shale Gas Production Subcommittee about how to proceed responsibly and transparently with development, given “200,000 jobs have been created already.”

6:00am AKDT
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Hearing
Topic: “Shale Gas Production”
Testimony from:

• Daniel Yergin, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates
• Dr. Stephen Holditch, department head and professor of petroleum engineering, Texas A&M
• Mark Zoback, professor in the Department of Geophysics, Stanford University

Dr. Holditch: “Shale gas is for real” and must be part of an “all of above” policy http://bit.ly/qzsXGJ

Murkowski: Should states or the federal government regulate? How are states doing? http://bit.ly/n4hZQo

The “Supercommittee” Continues Work

Alaskan Impact: “Go big, be bold, be smart,” wrote Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles in the Washington Post this weekend – echoing Senator Murkowski’s approach weeks earlier, with regards to the Joint Economic Committee (the “Supercommittee”) charged with getting the country on solid financial ground. Today, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke came before them, saying he expects a somewhat slower pace of economic growth over coming quarters, given many uncertainties for the markets.

6:00am AKDT
Joint Economic Committee Hearing
Topic: “Economic Outlook”
Testimony from:

• Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke

Questioning/Hearing: http://1.usa.gov/pooF8T

House of Representatives – Events

Ocean Zoning: A Threat to Economic Development

Alaskan Impact: The headline this morning: “Arctic Ocean Drilling Approved.” In Alaska, our waters are a major engine of our economy, whether in natural resources or fisheries. Today, the House Natural Resources Committee examined the job, energy and economic impacts of President Obama’s Executive Order 13547 which would require “ocean zoning,” which could place huge portions of our oceans off-limits to recreation, energy production, and transportation for Alaskans. Making wise policy decisions is one of the goals of the new “Senate Ocean Caucus”which Senator Murkowski co-chairs.

6:00am AKDT
House Natural Resources Committee Hearing
Topic: “National Ocean Policy”
Testimony from:

• W. Jackson Coleman, co-managing director of the National Ocean Policy Coalition
• Jim Gilmore, director of public relations for the At-Sea Processors Association
• Christopher Guith, vice president for policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Questioning/Hearing: http://bit.ly/ofVzhs

For more information on what’s happening in Washington,
D.C. or to find out Senator Murkowski’s view on these issues – contact the
Communications Office at 202-224-9301.
www.murkowski.senate.gov