U.S. Sen. Mark Begich released a statement following Governor Sean Parnell's announcement of a lawsuit against the Secretary of the Interior in U.S. District Court to overturn the federal moratorium on Alaska's OCS development:
"As a strong advocate for the responsible development of Alaska's OCS resources in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, I will always work with Governor Parnell and Alaskans to set the federal government straight. It is my belief that the federal government should remove the moratorium on developing these resources.
"I agree with the Governor's message that an overreaching ban does not reflect Alaska's unique conditions and fails to consider the impact on Alaska jobs and the Alaska economy. I will continue to work with the Governor, the State, and affected Alaskans to ensure a future for Alaska's oil and gas.
"The lack of consultation with Alaska in this process is an obvious oversight. I will continue to fight for the voices of Alaskans to be heard. The ban fails to recognize the strict standards and practices in Alaska and the clear difference between high pressure deepwater exploration and Alaska's shallow water exploration."