By Cayla McKay ‘25 The Biden administration recently approved petroleum giant ConocoPhillips’ “Willow Project,” a drilling project that has been in the works for decades but has faced heavy criticism and protests from climate activists and local indigenous nations. Approval from the Biden administration means ConocoPhillips is permitted to begin construction for oil drilling, with the company and its supporters arguing that expanded drilling could provide the state-owned Alaska Permanent Fund with more money, which would trickle-down to expand Alaska’s economy and help mitigate rising prices.
Critics, however, remain skeptical of the economic effects of the project and remind supporters that any expansion of the petroleum industry has a disastrous impact on the climate, which is especially dangerous for a glacier-covered state like Alaska. They also argue that the project violates indigenous sovereignty in a region that is 53.2 percent Native Alaskan, which they believe is an example of environmental racism and colonialism. “I feel very disappointed in our government for letting this legislation pass and prioritizing and furthering oil development in our country,” said sophomore Noga Arieh. “We should be improving our earth and climate, rather than continuously destroying it for things like oil drilling.” The Willow Project will be located in Alaska's North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), federally owned land. Although the NPRA is reserved for oil drilling, its ecosystem is a crucial nesting spot for migratory birds, even more so than the nearby Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. The NPRA is also home to thousands of indigenous people of the Iñupiat nation, including Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow), the northernmost town in the United States with a population of nearly 5,000 people. The Biden administration estimates that the project would yield 9.2 million metric tons of planet-warming carbon pollution per year, which is equivalent to adding 2 million gas-powered cars to the roads. “It is unsettling to see the Willow Project passed due to its anticipated severe negative impacts on carbon pollution in the environment,” said sophomore Marissa Jacobs. “It is becoming more difficult to trust the choices made by the government as the climate crisis is continuing to worsen.” Following the Biden administration’s approval of the project, a coalition of environmental and indigenous groups including Earthjustice, Greenpeace, Sierra Club and the National Resources Defense Council launched a lawsuit against the Interior Department, the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land Management. They argue that legally, the Biden administration is required to reduce carbon pollution under their duty to protect surface resources in Alaska's public lands. Activists have also been making waves by using social media sites such as TikTok, popularizing protests against the Willow Project. In opposition, many Alaskan lawmakers claim this project could boost domestic energy production, reducing America's dependence on foreign oil. Leaders in support of the Willow Project include Senator Lisa Murkowski (R), Senator Dan Sullivan (R), and Representative Mary Peltola (D), who together form Alaska’s delegation to Congress. Federal Judge Sharon Gleason of the US District Court of Alaska allowed construction to continue for the project despite the current lawsuits, reasoning that mere construction of the site (as opposed to the actual drilling) does “not include the extraction of any gas,” thereby not immediately harming the environment. As the legal battle ensues, activists are determined to continue opposing the Willow Project, using social media and protests to spread awareness and writing petitions to the Department of the Interior to reverse their approval for the construction. “As a youth climate activist myself, I am very proud of how quickly and effectively our generation has rallied around fighting the Willow Project, recognizing its horrible effect on the local environment, the global climate, and the indigenous nations who call Alaska’s North Slope home,” said sophomore Shayne Cytrynbaum. “Although unfortunately Biden betrayed his promise to ban new oil drilling by approving the Willow Project, I am proud of activists’ continued efforts to fight the Willow Project, such as Representative Jamaal Bowman’s petition to Secretary of the Interior Deb Harland to cancel the permit. Of course, this is not the only fossil fuel project we must oppose, with other projects like the Line 3 oil pipeline, the Mountain Valley Pipeline, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline also being important to mobilize against, but the activist opposing the Willow Project is an excellent and inspiring start for our generation.”
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December 2023
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