Biden Approves Controversial Willow Project, New Oil Drilling Venture in Alaska

Photo by Vadim Balakin via Flickr.

On March 13, the Biden administration approved the biggest oil project under consideration in the country, known as the Willow Project. By drilling in the nation’s largest piece of public land found in Alaska, the $6 billion project aims to boost energy production but raises many environmental conflicts.

The Willow Project will take place on land owned by the federal government in Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve. This 30-year oil drilling plan could potentially produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil each day; however, drilling oil and transferring it to the market will take years. 

The Willow Project dates back to 2020 when ConocoPhillips — a Houston-based energy company — proposed the project to the Trump administration. ConocoPhillips already has oil drilling operations in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve; however, they are nowhere near as big as the Willow Project is anticipated to be. After being approved by the Trump administration, ConocoPhillips began to construct drill pads, but when President Biden was elected into office, he reduced the number of drill pads by 40%. 

Since President Biden campaigned on plans to combat climate change, many have expressed confusion and concern over the administration’s approval of a massive oil drilling project. By approving this plan, President Biden worked counter to a central promise in his campaign: "to end new oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters.” 

While ConocoPhillips has stated that this project will have minimal environmental effects, the Willow Project is expected to produce more greenhouse gas emissions than any other project on public land. By the administration’s own estimates, the project would produce enough oil to release over 9 million metric tons of carbon pollution a year — the equivalent of adding 2 million gas-powered cars to the roads, according to CNN.

Environmental consequences of the Willow Project may extend past the region, but Alaskans who live close to the site will certainly feel impacts. Alaskans are concerned about the project's potential impacts on their health and the environment. Additionally, as Alaska is home to polar bears, migrating caribou, waterfowl and other species, the project may alter migration patterns and harm habitats. 

“This decision is bad for the climate, bad for the environment and bad for the Native Alaska communities who oppose this and feel their voices were not heard,″ said Christy Goldfuss, a former Obama White House official who now is a policy chief at the Natural Resources Defense Council, according to the Associated Press.

Amid concerns over potential environmental impacts, many have emphasized the economic benefits the new project may spur. The project was a win for Alaska’s congressional delegation, who have hailed the new drilling as a much-needed new source of revenue and jobs. Labor unions and some residents have argued the venture will create 2,500 new jobs and generate as much as $17 billion in revenue for the federal government, according to the New York Times.

“We finally did it, Willow is finally reapproved, and we can almost literally feel Alaska’s future brightening because of it,” Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in a statement. She added that Alaska is “now on the cusp of creating thousands of new jobs, generating billions of dollars in new revenues” and “improving quality of life on the North Slope and across our state.”

Though the Willow Project has already been approved, climate change activists have galvanized an extensive online community, with millions online protesting and spreading awareness of the drilling venture. A Change.org petition garnered over 4.9 million signatures, and over one million letters were sent to the Biden administration in opposition to the project. Furthermore, social media sites including TikTok have seen a surge of posts with the hashtag #StopWillow as advocates aim to shore up public opposition to the project.

In addition to spreading awareness online, Earthjustice, an environmental legal group, plans to take legal action to halt the Willow Project.

Biden has not commented publicly on the project’s approval.