JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) _ The Senate Finance Committee has advanced legislation that would levy a surcharge on refined fuels distributed in Alaska as a way to help fund an account used for the cleanup of contaminated sites, non-emergency spill response and other activities.

The bill would levy a surcharge of just under 1-cent-per-gallon on refined fuel sold, transferred or used in Alaska. A similar bill, with a 1-cent-per-gallon surcharge, previously advanced from House Finance.

Current funding includes a 4-cent surcharge on each taxable barrel of oil produced in Alaska and fines, settlements o...