Interior to approve giant Alaska oil project against environmental objections

The Biden administration reportedly signed off on a large-scale oil project in rural Alaska, one of its most consequential resource decisions yet and one certain to devastate the environmental groups and congressional Democrats who advocated against the project.

The approval from the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management represents the culmination of years of lobbying around Willow, which, as proposed, sought to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day on five drilling pads.

THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL DECISION OF BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY?

The record of decision, to be announced on Monday, will approve a smaller version of the proposed project, giving ConocoPhillips three drilling pads with potential for a fourth, according to multiple reports.

Willow’s approval will be coupled with new restrictions on oil and gas drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where the project is being developed.

The Biden administration faced competing pressures with Willow between balancing its climate change agenda and pressure to limit the expansion of fossil fuels with legal obligations under federal laws governing resource development on public lands.

President Joe Biden has also sought more oil production from the industry, including from operators holding leases on federal lands, in response to higher retail fuel prices. It contrasts some of his messaging during his presidential campaign, during which he promised to restrict drilling and leasing on federal lands.

Ryan Lance, chairman and CEO of ConocoPhillips, said the company’s plans for developing Willow are in accordance with Biden’s repeated calls targeted specifically at larg