The Biden administration on Friday unveiled an environmental analysis for ConocoPhillips' planned $6 billion Willow oil and gas project in Alaska and outlined several options for the development, including not building it at all.
The logo for ConocoPhillips is displayed on a screen on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, U.S., January 13, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermidplanned $6 billion Willow oil and gas project in Alaska and outlined several options for the development, including not building it at all.
It comes as President Joe Biden has sought to balance his goals of fighting climate change with calls to increase fuel supplies in the face of soaring prices.In the draft review, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management analyzed five potential options for the project, including ConocoPhillips' proposal to build up to five drill sites, dozens of miles of roads, seven bridges and pipelines.
In a statement, ConocoPhillips spokesperson Dennis Nuss said Willow was "a strong example of environmentally and socially responsible development that offers extensive public benefits." Willow was approved by the administration of former President Donald Trump as part of his push to ratchet up fossil fuel development on federal lands. Alaskan officials hope the project will help offset declining oil production in the state.