Alaska

June 2, 2009 -- Senator Mark Begich released the following statement in response to news that North Korea is preparing to test an advanced missile capable of traveling 4,000 miles, a distance that would put population centers in Alaska and U.S. bases on the Pacific island of Guam within striking distance:

"The latest action by North Korea reinforces the need for us to complete the fielding of the final 14 interceptors at Fort Greely for a total of 40. I made the case yesterday to Defense Secretary Gates on our tour at Greely, and I will continue to push for full funding of this program as we need a fully deployed system to adequately protect Alaska, Hawaii and the rest of the country against rogue nations like North Korea.    » read more »

Recovery Act funds roads, bridges, & ecosystem improvements

June 2, 2009 -- U.S. Forest Service projects across Alaska will receive money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for a variety of efforts including fish stream improvements, road stabilization, dead spruce removal in areas invested by the spruce bark beetle and more.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $228 million for projects in 31 states, including more than $8 million for seven projects in Alaska.    » read more »

Ethics Complaint on Governor’s Apparel Dismissed

June 3, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed news that another ethics complaint has been dismissed. This is the 14th ethics complaint filed against the governor or her staff that has been resolved with no finding of a violation of the Executive Branch Ethics Act. Those complaints contain 22 separate allegations, all of which have been found to be without merit.    » read more »

June 2, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today was pleased to express her appreciation to the individuals, businesses, and organizations that helped start the Point Thomson oil and gas development project. Located on the North Slope of Alaska, Point Thomson is 60 miles east of Prudhoe Bay.    » read more »

May 31, 2009, Anchorage, Alaska – Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced that the State of Alaska has chosen to monitor but not yet actively participate in the upcoming initiative to create nationwide common core state standards in reading and math.

The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers have announced they intend to work with states to formulate standards in English and math for kindergarten through grade 12 by December 2009.    » read more »

New rule will protect more than 50 million acres, including the Tongass National Forest

San Francisco (May 28, 2009) – The Obama administration today announced it is issuing a one-year moratorium on road building and development on about 50 million acres of remote national forests, including the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a directive reinstating most of a Clinton-era ban against new road construction and development in national forests. The 2001 rule banned road building and logging in more than 50 million acres of remote national forests, mostly in the West.

Following is a statement by Niel Lawrence, senior attorney and forest project director for the Natural Resources Defense Council:    » read more »

May 28, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki today told U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that he wants to try to ease the serious VA healthcare access problems facing veterans in rural Alaska.

At a meeting in the senator’s office, Murkowski invited Shinseki to visit Alaska and see those challenges first hand. Shinseki said he would like to visit the state.

Murkowski used the 45-minute meeting with Shinseki to reiterate a variety of concerns regarding VA healthcare in Alaska.    » read more »

Recovery Act money will greatly enhance Arctic research

May 27, 2009 -- The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced today that it has made its first major award under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help construct the Alaska Region Research Vessel (ARRV). The ARRV is a 242-foot ship, to be operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, with a hull designed specifically to operate in seasonal Arctic sea ice and open waters surrounding Alaska.    » read more »

May 27, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today asked Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to fund a $1.2 million study designed to reduce the high rate of suicides among Alaska natives.

In a letter to the Secretary, Murkowski pointed to a study proposed by Commissioner Warren Zapol of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission that would examine the mental and behavioral health issues facing Alaska Native populations living in the Arctic. Zapol’s study would be conducted by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences.

This new study would seek to determine the specific genes that contribute to major depressive disorders and alcohol abuse leading to targeted treatment options for Alaska Natives.    » read more »

2009 Spring Floods One of Worst Seasons on Record

May 25, 2009, Fairbanks, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has sent a letter to the federal government officially requesting a federal disaster declaration for the spring floods of 2009. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sent preliminary damage assessment teams into the field last week and they are working their way down the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers village by village.    » read more »

May 21, 2009 -- U.S. Senator Mark Begich issued the following statement today after Gov. Sarah Palin announced she will not accept more than $28 million in State Energy Program funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

"With Alaskans facing the highest energy prices in the nation, it's disappointing that our governor is turning thumbs down on federal funding that could help our families and communities reduce their energy bills.

"The Republican-led Alaska Legislature determined that our state already meets the standards necessary to accept this funding. This notion about some onerous federal mandate seems to be little more than a political red herring targeted at an agenda other than Alaska's.    » read more »

May 21, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Responding to the flooding on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers, the State of Alaska has officially requested a preliminary damage assessment (PDA) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to evaluate the losses in residential property, businesses and public infrastructure.

“The state emergency managers have done a terrific job working with local responders to coordinate response and initial recovery to this year’s spring flooding,” Governor Sarah Palin said. “Now we must rebuild our communities and this formal request is the first step in that process.”    » read more »

Favors Local Control on Building Codes

May 21, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced today that, as previously stated, she will veto the $28.6 million in federal stimulus funds tied to adoption of building codes by municipalities.

"Alaskans and our communities have a long history of independence and opposing many mandates from Washington, D.C.,” Governor Palin said. “This principle of maximum self-government for local communities is also set out in our constitution. There isn’t a lot of support for the federal government to coerce Alaska communities to adopt building codes, but lawmakers can always exercise checks and balances by overriding my veto.    » read more »

May 21, 2009, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today signed into law six appropriations bills, including House Bill 81, the FY2010 Operating Budget; House Bill 83, the FY2010 Mental Health Operating and Capital Budget; House Bill 113, the FY2009 Supplemental Bill; House Bill 199, the Federal Economic Stimulus Bill; Senate Bill 75, the FY2010 capital budget; and Senate Bill 116, a one-time special appropriation for low-income energy assistance.

The governor struck a total of $80.3 million through various line-item reductions in four of the six appropriations bills. HB 83, the mental health operating and capital budget, and SB 116, the energy assistance special appropriation, were signed into law as passed by the legislature.    » read more »

May 20, 2009, Juneau, Alaska - Alaska Governor Sarah Palin today welcomed the news that Congress has passed legislation that would permit visitors to carry loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges, subject to the requirements of state law. The provision was included in legislation placing new restrictions on the way in which credit card companies deal with consumers.

“This is certainly good news for Alaska,” Governor Palin said. “The ability to carry a firearm can define a life or death situation, especially for protection against surprise encounters with wildlife, mainly bears. I appreciate the strong bipartisan support this received in the House and Senate. I am pleased the administration says the president will sign the bill.”    » read more »