The Biden administration recently approved The Willow Project on March 13th. The Willow Project is a $6 billion proposal to drill oil in Alaska North’s Slope, which is in the National Petroleum Reserve.
The Willow Project is estimated to deepen fossil fuel production by 160,000 barrels of oil per day over the next 30 years. Even though it’s predicted to produce beneficial aspects, environmental and Indigenous groups are enraged as it contradicts efforts to combat climate change.
“It was a shock,” environment science teacher Ann Akey said. “The idea that we’re going to expand fossil fuel extraction seems to go against everything that so many people have been working for.”
According to Euronews, approximately 260 million tons of carbon dioxide will be released into our environment over the next 30 years due to this project.
“I would hope and I expect there to be a lot of legal challenges to [the Willow Project],” Akey said. “It’s not a done deal yet, and I’m sure the American public will have chances to sign petitions, and I’m sure some will take part in protests.”
Given what this project entails, protestors believe it’s important as a society to take a step back and evaluate the impact of our actions.
“We are a part of the problem even though we want to point our fingers elsewhere,” Akey said. “Yes, we can’t undo what big companies do, however, there is some room for the examination of our personal choices.”
