Biden OKs Alaska oil project, draws ire of environmentalists
The Biden administration is approving a major oil-drilling project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Monday it is approving a huge oil-drilling project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope, a major environmental decision by President Joe Biden that drew quick condemnation as flying in the face of his pledges to slow climate change.
The approval of ConocoPhillips' big Willow drilling project by the Bureau of Land Management will allow three drill sites including up to 199 total wells. Two other drill sites proposed for the project will be denied. ConocoPhillips Chairman and CEO Ryan Lance called the order “the right decision for Alaska and our nation.”
She described Willow as “a difficult and complex issue that was inherited” from earlier administrations. Because ConocoPhillips has held leases in the area for decades, Haaland said officials "had limited decision space” to block the project but focused on minimizing its footprint.
