New U.S. Senate energy chairwoman Murkowski has Alaska-size plans

...Already, Murkowski has led the Senate's first debate of the year - a freewheeling, weeks-long fight over legislation to authorize Keystone, with votes on more than a dozen amendments. Murkowski insists that's how bipartisan energy policy - and good legislation - is made. Murkowski has already laid out an ambitious agenda for the energy panel, with plans to swiftly hold hearings on liquefied natural gas exports, electric grid innovation, offshore oil and gas development and nuclear waste. And she aims for the committee to craft a broad bipartisan energy bill dealing with supply, infrastructure, efficiency and accountability. Her success will depend on wrangling support not just from the many western Republicans on the panel, but also finding common ground with committee Democrats, including their highest-ranking member, Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington. Cantwell opposes offshore drilling off the West Coast and has been vocal in criticizing oil and gas industry priorities. In a wide-ranging interview with the Houston Chronicle, Murkowski said the proximity of their home states, their shared love of the outdoors and the economic ties between Washington and Alaska will serve as building blocks for consensus...more