President Joe Biden put the brakes on Alaska’s giant oil project, which was controversial within the United States due to the possibility of causing serious climate and environmental problems.
According to the Associated Press on the 12th (local time), the Biden administration announced that it would block or limit oil drilling in Alaska and 16 million acres (6474970.28 ha) of the Arctic Ocean.
The measure blocks drilling and oil exploration on about 3 million acres in the Beaufort Sea and limits drilling on more than 13 million acres in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve.
The announcement comes ahead of the final decision on licensing ConocoPhillips’ controversial oil drilling project, the Willow Project.
In particular, the Associated Press reported that the Biden administration’s decision came in preparation for next year’s re-election challenge, and that there is a risk of alienating young voters if it goes in the direction of approving the Willow project. It also explained that it could face large-scale protests, such as protests calling for a refusal to build the Keystone pipeline, as it did during the Obama administration.
“The removal of (the oil companies) from the coastal zone ensures that critical habitats for whales, seals, polar bears and other wildlife are permanently protected from development,” the White House said in a statement.
The National Petroleum Reserve includes Lake Teshepik, Utukok Gorge, Colville River, Casegaluk Lagoon, and the Pied Bay Special Area. In particular, the area is known as an important ecological reserve worldwide, with grizzly bears, polar bears, reindeer, and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.
The Willow Project is a large-scale oil field development project by ConocoPhillips, which aims to develop the Alaska National Oil Reserve and produce 500 million barrels over the next 30 years. However, the court ordered the suspension of the project, saying that the development permit by the former Trump administration was based on an insufficient environmental impact assessment.
Climate activists and others have protested against approval of the Willow project, calling it a ‘carbon bomb’. On the other hand, Alaska legislators and indigenous communities have supported it, saying that it can get jobs and more.
However, the Associated Press reported that the de facto refusal of approval for the Willow project would face strong resistance from Alaska’s congressional delegation.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.