The Willow Project: A Simple Breakdown

Photo from CNN

Most in the nation have heard the news-- the infamous Willow Project has been approved by President Joe Biden. This said, only a small portion of these people know what this means for our country. Below, I will attempt to break down the information into three easy-to-read sections.

One: What is the Willow Project?

The Willow Project is, simply put, a massive oil drilling endeavor on the federal owned on Alaska’s North Slope in the National Petroleum Reserve. This area is said to hold up to 600 barrels of oil and take years to construct and complete. Willow was proposed by ConocoPhillips (a Houston-based energy company that has been drilling for oil in Alaska for decades) and was originally approved by the Trump Admin. back in 2020.

Two: How and Why was the Willow Project Approved?

Willow was formally approved on March 13th, 2023. This shocked populations for two reasons. First, the mass amount of people who rallied against it: a petition on change.org (Stop the willow project) has recieved over 5 million signatures; over one million letters have been sent to the Biden administration against the project. Second, the Biden administration's former promises; when Biden was campaigning in the 2020 election he vowed to end new oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters. Willow was approved, according to CNN, because "The Biden administration felt its hands were tied with the project because Conoco has existing and valid leases in the area." This means that they could have faced fines and/or legal action from Conoco. Dates for Willow construction are yet to be released, though it can only be done during the winter season due to the need for ice roads.

Three: What will the Willow Project mean?

By the Biden administration's calculations, 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" (CNN). In addition, locals could be facing major health issues, as stated by Nuiqsut Mayor Rosemary Ahtuangaruak in a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland: "We are at ground zero for the industrialization of the Arctic.”