By Liam Rockwell
On March 13, 2023, Biden approved of a new Alaskan oil venture which has been rallying up a plethora of controversy. Many are questioning Biden’s initial promises to protect the environment during his presidential run after his approval of the Willow Project which has been called “disappointing” and “disastrous”.
So to explain the controversy, let’s take a look at what Biden promised he would do for the environment before he was elected. As a presidential candidate he referred to climate change as an “existential threat – not just to our environment, but to our health, our communities, our national security, and our economic well-being.” He focused on how our environment and our economy are completely linked and that the United States needs to do better when it comes to the environment. He also promised to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Now here is a description of the Willow Project, which was just recently approved by Biden.
The Willow Project, developed by ConocoPhillips, a multinational hydrocarbon exploration company, will produce up to 300 million tons of carbon emissions over the next three decades. It will construct five drill pads for 250 oil wells and it will build a mass of other infrastructure such as pipelines, gravel mines, and sealift barges. It will produce up to 200,000 barrels of oil a day, disproportionately intruding on the Native American Nuiqsut, Atqasuk, Anaktuvuk, and Utqiagvik populations and decreasing the food available to them. The Willow Project is expected to release the same amount of greenhouse gasses that roughly 500,000 homes release each year.
There is plenty more to learn about the Willow Project and how it contradicts with much of what Biden promised in his campaign. This is an extremely important moment in environmental history, and how we respond will shape our environmental future as well.
beniciapaw.com 