U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today issued the following response to the Interior Department’s approval of two conditional permits to Shell to resume its exploratory drilling in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea:

“Today’s approval by the Department of Interior of the permits Shell needs to resume drilling in the Chukchi Sea is good news for Alaska and our country. However, it is not the final regulatory hurdle Shell faces and it is important that the agencies continue to work in good faith and in a timely fashion to complete the remaining regulatory requirements.

“With an estimated 25 percent of the world’s undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources and active exploration by countries like Russia, it’s critical that the United States set the standard for responsible development in the Arctic. America will only truly assume that role when it actively engages in developing its resources.

“My attention remains focused on ensuring exploration proceeds safely this season and that Alaskans benefit from the development of our resources through revenue sharing.”