ENVIRONMENT

President Biden approves controversial Willow Oil Project in Alaska

Mar 13, 2023, 8:37 AM | Updated: Mar 28, 2023, 5:38 pm

Willow Project...

FILE - This 2019 aerial photo provided by ConocoPhillips shows an exploratory drilling camp at the proposed site of the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope. The Biden administration is weighing approval of a major oil project on Alaska's petroleum-rich North Slope that supporters say represents an economic lifeline for Indigenous communities in the region but environmentalists say is counter to Biden's climate goals. A decision on ConocoPhillips Alaska's Willow project, in a federal oil reserve roughly the size of Indiana, could come by early March 2023. (ConocoPhillips via AP, File)

(ConocoPhillips via AP, File)

Originally Published: 13 MAR 23 09:13 ET
Updated: 13 MAR 23 10:10 ET

    (CNN) — The Biden administration has approved the massive Willow drilling project in Alaska, angering climate advocates and setting the stage for a court challenge.

This story will be updated.

Original story:

The Biden administration is expected to approve the controversial ConocoPhillips Willow oil drilling project in Alaska on Monday after it moved through the administration’s process for months.

The Willow Project would be a decadeslong oil drilling venture in the National Petroleum Reserve, which is owned by the federal government. The area where the project is planned holds up to 600 million barrels of oil, though that oil would take years to reach the market since the project has yet to be constructed.

By the administration’s own estimates, the project would generate enough oil to release 9.2 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon pollution a year — equivalent to adding 2 million gas-powered cars to the roads.

If the administration gives the project the green light, it would be a victory for Alaska’s bipartisan congressional delegation and a coalition of Alaska Native tribes and groups who hailed the drilling venture as a much-needed new source of revenue and jobs for the remote region.

Its approval would be a major blow to climate groups and Alaska Natives who oppose Willow and argue the project will hurt the president’s ambitious climate goals and pose health and environmental risks. The project has galvanized an uprising of online activism against it, including more than one million letters written to the White House in protest of the project, and a Change.org petition with millions of signatures.

Environmental advocates are expected to challenge the project in court. Environmental law group Earthjustice has been preparing a case against the project and intends to argue the Biden administration’s authority to protect resources on Alaska’s public lands includes taking steps to reduce planet-warming carbon pollution, which the Willow Project would ultimately add to.

The venture is expected to be approved with three drilling pads instead of two, two government sources familiar with the details confirmed.

In recent weeks, the Biden administration had looked at reducing the number of approved drilling pads down to two and boosting nature conservation measures to try to assuage concerns climate and environmental groups had about the project.

But ConocoPhillips and Alaska’s bipartisan congressional delegation has aggressively lobbied the Biden White House and Interior Department for months to approve three drilling pads, saying the project would not be economically viable with two.

Ultimately, the administration felt they were constrained legally and had few options to cancel or significantly curtail the project — which was initially approved by the Trump administration. The administration determined that legally, courts wouldn’t have allowed them to fully reject the project.

Many oil drilling leases on the site were decades-oil, which the administration felt gave ConocoPhillips certain existing legal rights. Reducing the drill-pads to two would have allowed the company to drill about 70% of the oil they were initially seeking.

Still, the final scope of the project will cover 68,000 fewer acres than what ConocoPhillips was initially seeking, the sources said. And it will come alongside sweeping new protections for up to 16 million acres of land and water in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve that President Joe Biden is expected to announce Monday.

CNN has reached out to ConocoPhillips for comment.

The highly anticipated record of decision for the project is expected to come later Monday morning, one government source said.

This story has been updated with more information.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

Environment

Rain and snow expected Easter...

Adam Small

More rain and snow on it’s way for Easter

More rain and snow is headed to Utah on Thursday, and the wet weather is expected to hang around through Easter.

2 hours ago

Dairy cows across the country, specifically in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico are getting sick with a...

Alexandrea Bonilla

Cows across the country are getting sick with a “flu-like” illness

Utah is altering the requirements for livestock brought into the state after multiple cows across the country have gotten sick with a flu-like illness.  

16 hours ago

A red and black Jeep climbs up the sandy orange rocks of Moab, Utah during a Jeep safari....

Mariah Maynes

As Jeep event begins in Moab, police provide reminders to drivers

Moab police want Easter Jeep Safari participants to remember rules about speed limits, vehicle lighting, and stop signs,

2 days ago

FILE: 8D Ranch is pictured as owner Kris Getzie walks down a hill at the ranch in Oakley, Summit Co...

Alexandrea Bonilla

Oakley, Utah, adds new water source and lifts development freeze

Almost 1,600 people live in Oakley according to the latest U.S. Census data. Most of them are farmers and ranchers.

2 days ago

River Barry received the Carnegie Medal of Heroism for saving a base jumper's life....

Tammy Kikuchi

Salt Lake therapist awarded Carnegie Medal of Heroism

The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission awarded their Carnegie Medal of Heroism to a Salt Lake City therapist, after a day of mountain biking turned into rock climbing to save a life.

2 days ago

People hike in winter...

Adam Small

Late winter storm adds to already flourishing Utah snowpack

A late winter storm along the Wasatch Front might've caused a headache for drivers over the weekend, but it also added more to Utah snowpack.

3 days ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

President Biden approves controversial Willow Oil Project in Alaska