As the Biden administration is expected to move forward with a northern Alaska oil drilling project, multiple reports indicate that it is likely to create thousands of jobs and 600 million barrels of oil over its 30-year lifespan.
According to Bloomberg, senior administration officials have signed off on three of the five drilling sites proposed by oil company ConocoPhillips as part of its Willow Project in the National Petroleum Reserve located in North Slope Borough, Alaska.
The project was first proposed by ConocoPhillips years ago and was approved under the Trump administration. The company has projected that it would produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day, create more than 2,500 construction jobs and 300 long-term jobs, and deliver as much as $17 billion in revenue for the federal government, Alaska, and local communities, many of which are indigenous.
Republicans are pushing for approval of the project because it provides energy security and would generate revenue for the country. “This decision on Willow is a huge test for the Biden administration on so many issues that they claim to care about,” Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, told Fox News Digital in an interview last week. “Of course it’s critically important to Alaska, but it’s critically important to America—a project of this size when we need energy security.”
However, environmental groups and Democratic lawmakers are urging President Biden to reject the project, stating that it would damage the environment, produce emissions, and increase global emissions.
They argue that the project would be a climate disaster waiting to happen and would counter progress the administration has made on climate change.
The project is estimated to produce 278 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the carbon footprint of two million cars, over its 30-year lifespan.
Despite the opposition, Republicans are arguing that the Willow Project would provide a substantial boost for the state and local communities, creating jobs and generating revenue.
The delegation met with Biden at the White House for more than an hour on March 2 to reiterate their support for an economically viable approval.
“The Willow Project has been one of my top priorities because it is deeply important to our future as a state,” Peltola said. “In the short term, this project will provide thousands of good-paying union jobs and help jump-start Alaska’s economy.”
In conclusion, while the opposition argues that the project would harm the environment and would counter progress the administration has made on climate change, Republicans believe that it is essential for energy security and would create jobs and generate revenue for the country.
The decision of the Biden administration on this project will be a significant test of their claims to care about energy security and the environment.