Sen. Manchin Defends Biden Approval For Alaska Oil Drilling Project Amid Criticism From Democrats

Despite criticisms from the Democratic Party ranks, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), supports President Joe Biden’s decision to approve an Alaskan oil field development project.

After long deliberations and arguments against and for the Alaskan oil drilling plan, the Willow Project, Biden decided Monday to approve a scaled down version of the Willow Project instead of cancelling it. The modified project allows three out of five of the original five drilling pads to go ahead. Conoco Phillips will have to give up 68,000 acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to Conoco Phillips for the project.

Manchin, the chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee applauded this decision by the Biden administration.

“I welcome today’s Record of Decision (ROD) that finally reapproves the ConocoPhillips Willow Project in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve,” Manchin stated. “This is a long awaited and critical step towards shoring up American energy security.”

Conoco Phillips was the one who drilled the exploratory wells that were the first to be drilled for the Willow Project. Conoco Phillips was the first to drill exploratory wells on the Willow Project’s land in 2016.

The Willow Project was approved in August 2020 by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which was headed by President Donald Trump. The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska stopped the project permit in August 2021 after it was determined that certain portions of the BLM’s analysis for the Willow Project were not complete.

“Responsible development of our abundant natural resources is essential if we are to maintain our status as the superpower of the world, capable of supporting our allies around the globe,” Monday was Manchin’s day. “While the torturous, nearly five-year process it took to get to this final approval is proof that permitting reform is needed more than ever, this is a levelheaded decision that will strengthen Alaska and our entire nation. I will continue to work with the Administration to support common sense, energy security projects like these that create good paying jobs and maintain America’s standing on the global stage.”

Democrats are divided on Project

Manchin and other Republican politicians have supported the Biden administration’s approval of Willow Project.

Monday’s Sens. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R.Alaska), and Dan Sullivan, (R.Alaska), issued a statement stating that the Willow Project’s. “reapproval” It would create thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars of revenue. Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, joined the Republican Alaskan senators.

A group of Democratic lawmakers—Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) as well as Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)—had previously sent a letter to Biden calling for him to reject the Willow Project.

Markey, Grijalva and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, D-N.Y., and Jared Huffman D-Calif. issued a new joint statement after Biden’s Monday decision to approve the scaled down Willow Project.

“The Biden administration has committed to fighting climate change and advancing environmental justice—today’s decision to approve the Willow project fails to live up to those promises,” This is the statement. “Their decision ignores the voices of the people of Nuiqsut, our frontline communities, and the irrefutable science that says we must stop building projects like this to slow the ever more devastating impacts of climate change.”

Manchin’s Political Alignment

While Manchin voted in favor of Biden’s Willow Project decision and has been at odds with some elements within the Democratic Party with whom Biden has been aligned,

Manchine claimed that Biden was a great man in a January interview on NBC’s Chuck Todd. “done a good job” In many areas, but has also been “been pulled to the left too far and I think I’ve told him that, I’ve been upfront with that.”

Manchin has focused much of his criticism of Biden’s environmental policies on the disagreements. Manchin condemned last week’s decision by Biden’s Department of Interior to delay the release of an off-shore oil and gas leasing program. Manchin claimed that officials from the department were being “putting their radical climate agenda ahead of our nation’s energy security.”

Manchin indicated that he will not support Biden’s nomination of Laura Daniel Davis to be the DOI’s Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management. Manchin claimed that Davis had been incorrectly published documents to the DOI website, indicating that he opposed new natural gas leasing. “I will not support anyone who agrees with this type of misguided reasoning.”

Manchin, in his January NBC interview, did not rule out a 2024 run for president, which could be a challenge to Biden.

Manchin, in a February interview, avoided referring to himself as a Democrat, which raised questions about his continued support for the broader party.

NTD News