Begich Statement on the Resignation of Egyptian President Mubarak

“I am pleased that President Mubarak has finally listened to the Egyptian people and allowed them to move one step closer to freedom and democracy. I hope the transition in the coming weeks will be free of violence and that all sides will come together to build a better future for the Egyptian people.

“I remain concerned that instability in the Middle East continues to threaten international oil supplies and oil transportation. The demonstrations we’ve witnessed over the past few weeks underscore America’s need to stabilize and secure its energy sources by increasing domestic energy production. Certainly the responsible development of Alaska’s resources would lessen our dependence on foreign oil and help insulate America’s families from political turmoil half the world away.”

Alaska’s untapped resources include the following estimates:

Alaska’s OCS: 26.65 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas - 2006 Mineral Management Service
National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska: 896 million barrels of oil and 53 trillion cubic feet of natural gas - 2010 United States Geological Survey
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (1002 Area): 7.69 billion barrels of oil and 3.48 trillion cubic feet of natural gas - 2005 United States Geological Survey