By Natalia Rueda 
The Biden Administration has drawn the ire of environmental advocates after approving the Willow oil drilling project in Alaska, setting the stage for a legal challenge. The $8 million project, which is located in the federally owned National Petroleum Reserve, calls for drilling for up to 600 million barrels of oil.
Environmental groups and Alaska Natives have opposed the Willow project on the grounds that it would undermine the president’s ambitious climate goals and pose health and environmental risks. Online protests have grown and environmental advocates are expected to challenge the project in court.
The Biden Administration had considered reducing the number of drilling rigs approved for the project and increasing nature conservation measures, but ConocoPhillips and Alaska’s bipartisan congressional delegation pushed for the project’s approval. The government determined that, legally, the courts would not have allowed them to reject the project.
The approval of the Willow project underscores the Biden administration’s dilemma of how to carry out its ambitious climate plans without affecting the local economy. Climate advocates and community members expect Biden to take steps to protect the environment without sacrificing jobs.