Biden approves Alaskan Willow oil project, upsetting climate activists

OAN Brooke Mallory
UPDATED 4:19 PM – Monday, March 13, 2023

According to the U.S. Department of Interior Joe Biden and his administration approved a limited version of ConocoPhillips $7 billion oil-and-gas drilling Willow Project in Alaska.

The decision has received overwhelming positive reactions from Alaskan officials, as well the oil industry. Climate advocates are also critical of the decision, fearing that it will adversely affect climate change and habitats for animals.

This decision comes after opposing parties claimed that the development at three sites in northwestern Alaska would be a clash with Biden’s widely broadcast and publicized efforts in combating climate change and his purported plans to shift to cleaner sources of energy.

Alaska’s elected officials believe that the project would create hundreds of new jobs, and billions in federal revenue.

Alaska is heavily dependent on oil production revenues. Production has dropped dramatically from its peak in the 1980’s.

“I feel the people of Alaska have been heard… The state of Alaska cannot carry the burden of solving our global warming issues alone,” Mary Peltola (D. Alaska) is the U.S. Representative.

Alaskan officials, the oil and gas industry, and environmental groups have closely followed the Willow Project’s fate. President Biden stated that he wants to stabilize his goals of decarbonization in the U.S. and increase domestic fuel supplies to maintain low prices.

After expressing concern about Willow’s greenhouse gas emissions last month, the Interior Department approved the project.

ConocoPhillips planned to construct up to five drilling sites and build infrastructure. This included the construction of hundreds of miles of roads and pipelines and seven bridges.  

According to the agency, these actions will help reduce habitat loss for species such as polar bears and yellow-billed loons.

Sunday’s announcement by the Biden administration stated that new protections would be created for Alaskan lands and water resources. These protections would allow Alaska to keep approximately 3 million acres in Beaufort Sea, which is part of the Arctic Ocean. “indefinitely off-limits” For anything related to oil and gas leasing.

This would result in the U.S. Arctic being closed off to oil exploration.

It also announced safeguards for 13 million acres of ecologically-sensitive areas within Alaska’s petroleum reserve.   

But, climate activists groups have condemned Biden and the administration. They said that he was trying get it. “both ways” Climate change was a major issue.

“Promoting clean energy development is meaningless if we continue to allow corporations to plunder and pollute as they wish,” Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, was forewarned.

Many environmentalists stated that they would challenge this project in court.

​”​It’ll escalate the climate crisis and lock us into decades of dependence on Big Oil executives hell-bent on destroying the planet. The fight isn’t over and we will consider every tool available to stop this climate bomb​,” A representative of The Natural Resources Defense Counsel posted the following tweet.

Ben Jealous (Executive Director Sierra Club) also stated over Twitter that he and his administration had given the Willow Project the green light by giving it permission. “made it almost impossible to achieve the climate goals they set for public lands.”

U.S. U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R. Alaska) stated that the congressional delegation anticipates impending legal challenges, and is currently preparing an amicus brief in order to defend and protect this project in court.

“This was the right decision for Alaska and our nation,” Ryan Lance, ConocoPhillips Chief Executive, made the statement.

U.S. U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R. Alaska) welcomed the “good news” Monday, and stated that she believes this will bring Alaskans many more jobs and financial rewards by bringing up to 180,000 oil barrels daily into the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

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