As of March 13, 2023 The ConocoPhillips Willow Project has officially been approved by the Biden Administration. The project was scaled down so ConocoPhilips could move forward with drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve, located on the North Slope of Alaska. While proponents suggest that it will lower the prices of oil around the world, environmentalists are claiming that this is a “carbon bomb” that will make climate change worse, change the pattern for biodiversity, and slow the process of cleaner fuel options.

“Willow fits within the Biden Administration’s priorities on environmental and social justice, facilitating the energy transition and enhancing our energy security, all while creating good union jobs and providing benefits to Alaska Native communities,” Ryan Lance, the chairman for ConocoPhillips and the chief executive officer said.

Along with the massive amount of revenue for the government, this project will produce hundreds of jobs for people around the country. Environmental advocates have a different viewpoint, claiming that the trade off between new job opportunities and destroying millions of acres of land is not worth it. The government announced on the same day that they blocked off a massive area of land that could not be drilled into. This action has allowed some relief among the majority of people who signed a petition against the project. The new question is, what is next for Alaska and our planet?

“… the benefits of these protections can be undone just as quickly by approval of oil and gas projects on public lands,” Athan Manuel, the Sierra Club’s lands protection program director said. “And right now, no proposal poses a bigger threat to lands, wildlife, communities, and our climate than ConocoPhillips’ Willow project.”

Although the Willow Project will produce mass amounts of oil that would be useful for the growing population it could also provoke treacherous gas leaks that could spur further environmental issues.