Biden Administration Signals Approval of Disastrous Willow Project

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: policy@fridaysforfutureusa.org 

The Biden Administration has signaled that they will approve the Willow Project oil development, a massive environmental and political disaster. The Willow Project, led by fossil fuel giant ConocoPhillips, would develop within the Natural Petroleum Reserve, the largest piece of undisturbed federal land on Alaska’s North Slope. The Willow Project is a carbon bomb that we cannot afford.

If approved, Willow would extract an estimated 600,000,000 barrels of oil, deploy 200+ oil wells, and emit 9.2 million tons of carbon. The fight against the Willow Project is for both our current and future wellbeing. Willow would lock in 30 more years of fossil fuel development. If Biden approves Willow, it could set a precedent for him to continue approving disastrous oil and gas projects.

Public opposition to the Willow Project is so strong that the issue has racked up 500+ million views on social media platforms. Young people and environmental groups, including indigenous communities on the frontlines of the project, have been raising consistent public pressure against Willow.

Biden campaigned on promises to champion environmental issues and to ban new oil and gas drilling on federal land. Biden ran on climate and was elected on climate – all because of the young voters and frontline communities that organized and voted. If Biden approves Willow, he has betrayed his campaign promises, he has betrayed his environmental justice promises, and he has betrayed the youth voters and frontline communities that elected him.

Ranking Member Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) of the House Natural Resources Committee and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) have sent a letter to Biden, urging him to stop the Willow Project. In their letter, the legislators raised concerns that the Willow Project would be inconsistent with previous historic achievements on climate and environmental justice, saying “No version of Willow is consistent with [Biden’s] commitments to combat the climate crisis and promote environmental justice.”

Fridays for Future US continues to grow a grassroots network of local groups united in the fight for environmental justice across the country. 

In Solidarity,

Liv Schroeder, FFF US Policy Director

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For any media inquiries, organizer interviews, or additional information, please contact policy@fridaysforfutureusa.org.