The Joe Biden administration approved an Alaska oil project, known as the Willow Project, on Monday, which calls for substantial oil drilling on the North Slope and has provoked outrage among environmentalists. The statement comes a day after the government said that it will prohibit or limit drilling in certain parts of Alaska or the Arctic Ocean. The Alaska delegation praised Rep. Mary Peltola’s decision, adding that the “people of Alaska were heard.” US Senator Lisa Murkowski praised the move as well, stating, “We did it, Alaska!” But exactly what is the Willow Project? Why are environmentalists upset? Scroll down for more information.
What exactly is the Willow Project?
Concono Phillips proposed the ‘Willow Project,’ which intends to produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day, or roughly 1.5 percent of total US oil production, on Alaska’s important and long-term oil drilling project on the National Petroleum Reserve’s North Slope.
According to Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan, this oil production could be one of the largest and most significant resource development projects in history. As part of the project, the business suggested five drilling locations. The US Bureau of Land Management, on the other hand, approved three drill locations, which Conoco Phillips Alaska described as a realistic alternative. According to the interior department, the final permission cuts the project’s drill pads by around 40%.
In addition, the corporation agreed to give up its rights to approximately 68,000 acres of existing leaves within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The change minimizes the project’s freshwater use and removes all infrastructure associated with the two failed drilling.
Is Joe Biden in jeopardy?
According to CBS News, as soon as US President Joe Biden approved Alaska’s oil project, it turned all environmentalists and many US Democrats in Congress against him, claiming that the project is inconsistent with his ideals.
Environmentalists have argued that approval of such a project is a “betrayal” by Biden and his administration, who promised during his 2020 election campaign that fighting climate change would be his top priority, as well as ending all new oil and gas drilling on federal lands and transitioning to clean energy. Environmentalists have launched a #StopWillowcampaign across all social media platforms in an attempt to remind Biden of his vow to cut greenhouse gas emissions. (Ambien Generic)
The last analysis conducted by the Biden administration drew criticism for including a suggestion that planting more trees in national forests to collect and store carbon dioxide might offset 50% of Willow’s net emissions.
Who is in favor of and against the Alaska oil project?
A coalition of native tribes in Alaska supports the project, in addition to state officials who claim it will expand employment, enhance domestic production, and reduce the country’s reliance. According to them, the project generates much-needed cash in the community and provides services such as education and healthcare.
However, several Alaska Natives living near the proposed project expressed worries about the project’s health and environmental implications.
Nuiqsut Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak and other authorities stated in a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that the village will endure the effects of the destructive project. “We are at ground zero for Arctic industrialization,” the letter stated.