The Willow Project Threatens to Worsen Climate Change

180,000 barrels of oil a day, that’s the benefit of the Willow Project. And all it costs is the disruption of animal migration, spoiling habitats, health risks for Alaska natives, and removing pieces of the Arctic. The government has reason to believe these risks are sensible in comparison to the sake of Alaska’s preservation.    

  The Willow Project was originally proposed by ConocoPhillips (Alaska’s largest oil producer) and approved by the Trump administration in 2020. As of March 13, 2023 the project was approved by president Biden’s administration. The supporting side of the Willow Project consists of state lawmakers claiming the project will “create jobs, boost domestic energy production and lessen the country’s reliance on foreign oil.” A couple of Alaska Native groups support the project and think it  could be a needed source of income and support education/health care.

The opposing side of the Willow Project includes city officials and tribal members. All of them share concerns about the health impacts and environmental toll the oil development will cause. In a letter to the Interior Secretary and two other city and tribal officials said that “the village would bear the burden of health impacts from Willow.” Other “villages get some financial benefits from oil and gas activity but experience fewer impacts than Nuiqsut,” the letter says. 

Now that the Willow Project was given a green light from Biden, construction was in order but no exact date was released due to the legal challenges being faced. 

Construction of the Willow can only continue in the winter considering the ice roads needed to build the remaining groundwork; only having Alaska’s winter which is nearing a close this April. If environmental groups succeed in delaying the project then the build schedule could delay years at a time. In view of needing it to be fully constructed, it may look up to years before oil pumped from the Willow gets out and in contact with marketers. 

All things considered, legal arguments against the Willow pose threats to their production. EarthJustice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting harsh environmental issues. Earthjustice told CNN they are laying out their legal rationale explaining Biden’s administration authority and working to reduce warming carbon pollution which Willow would end up adding onto. 

In conclusion, there is reason to believe that the Willow Project would hold an exponential toll on Alaska and become even worse for the climate crisis. CNN states that “The project would generate a total of 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution a year.” In this case it would be the same as 2 million gas-powered cars driving down roads. With Biden supporting the project, the Willow Project has begun production trying to get their last few legal arguments approved with city officials and tribal members of Alaska breathing down the government’s neck.