Broken promises: Biden's approval of the Willow Project

On the campaign trail, President Biden promised "No new drilling on federal lands. Period", but just a few days ago, he approved the Willow drilling project in the National Petroleum Reserve on the north shore of Alaska by the Beaufort Sea.

The project involves drilling up to 100 wells, constructing pipelines, roads, and other facilities needed for oil and gas production, and building a new processing facility on the North Slope of Alaska. It is estimated to produce nearly 600 million barrels of oil.

ABC News: Biden admin approves Willow Project despite oil drilling concerns

"Our land began being littered by the junk of oil exploration. We suffered serious trespass."

The National Petroleum Reserve is part of the vast ancestral homelands of the Gwich'in and Inupiat people. Residents of Nuiqsut (population 402), the Inupiat community closest to the proposed Willow Project, are in opposition due to the significant negative impacts to their health. The taking of gravel for new roads wrecked river beds and beaches — devasting fish and shellfish spawning areas. Gravel that pads over old graveyards were removed. Inupiat sod houses at fishing and summer camps were destroyed. Seismic exploration in lakes killed fish.

Throughout the project's lifecycle, from the extraction and transportation of the resources to the processing and combustion of the final products, the Willow Project will release large amounts of greenhouse gases.

The large-scale oil extraction will keep us tethered to dirty fossil fuels, exacerbating the already critical climate crisis and harming the most vulnerable.

Global Warming Solutions is fighting daily to stop projects like this one that harm our environment and lead to further reliance on fossil fuels. But we need your help. Can you donate $3 today and join the fight?

For the Western Arctic Caribou herd this is an important calving ground and migration corridor. State game biologists have reported a serious decline in caribou herds. It is also a critical habitat for polar bears listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. In addition, the Reserve is an important breeding and nesting ground for many species of birds, including snowy owls, jaguars, and several species of waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors.

The construction of infrastructure and increased human activity will likely lead to habitat degradation and fragmentation, hurting the populations of these species.

Additionally, the construction and operation of the Willow Project increase the risk of oil spills and contamination of waterways, which harm waterfowl, fish, and marine mammal populations and the ecosystems on which they depend.The area is home to many important fish species, including salmon and char, essential food sources for local communities and wildlife.

The Willow Project poses significant environmental risks and contributes to the climate crisis. It should not continue.

The fight isn't over yet. Tuesday, a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management for failing to consider the impact of the Willow Project on the land and wildlife.

We will continue the critical fight against offshore drilling — we rely on donations from people like you. Can you donate $3 today? Every bit helps in the fight for a better future.

Economic benefits and climate justice are not diametrically opposed. Both are possible. Bringing them together requires us to think holistically about our environment.

At Global Warming Solutions, we are committed to finding and promoting climate solutions that strengthen our communities and wildlife.

Rob