Alaska senior senator, Lisa Murkowski issued statements upon the release of the 2013 Interior Appropriations Bill today.

One of the items she pointed out in a release today was that this year’s legacy well fund was increased to $6.5 million from the previous year’s level of $1 million. Saying that this would mean results and improvements in Alaska, she pointed out that “Uncapped wells are a blight on our state, and the federal government is derelict in their duty to Alaska,” said Murkowski. “If this were a private oil company, Alaska could be looking at billions in fines for the lack of responsivity – so my colleagues on the Interior appropriations committee saw an increase in the funding levels as something far overdue.”

Murkowski also announced the inclusion of a provision directing the Interior Department to work with Federal agencies to develop a “Tsunami Task Force” to address the debris floating up on the shores of the Pacific states.

Alaska’s Senator also said that despite the previous reduction in funds for Fish and Wildlife Subsistance Programs, those funds were restored to $2.9 million. She said that the agency is directed to utilize those funds “should be used for high priority work including improvement of stock assessments, estimates of Chinook escapement and run size; better understanding of salmon stock dynamics; and the assessment of biological and environmental factors influencing productivity of Chinook salmon.”

Murkowski additionally stated that the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee increased funding for health center contract support. Those amounts were raised by $9 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and by $5 million at the Indian Health Service. She says this will fund critical work at both existing health centers as wwell as at recently constructed facilities state-wide.

“There are some areas that have been chronically underfunded like the Indian Health Service and contract support costs,” said Murkowski. “I have made it a priority through my position on the subcommittee to deliver on the promises made to Alaska Natives, Native Americans and Native Hawaiians and help them maintain their health and quality of life.”

Friday night’s continuing resolution will fund the government through March of 2013.

Senator Murkowski is the ranking Republican on the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.