Climate & Indigenous Activists Decry Reports Biden Will Approve Willow Oil Drilling Arctic Project

The Biden administration is reportedly set to approve a massive oil and gas development in Alaska known as the Willow project, despite widespread opposition from environmental and conservation groups that argue Willow will amount to a carbon bomb. The administration also announced Sunday it will ban future oil and gas leasing for 3 million acres of federal waters in the Arctic Ocean and will limit drilling in a further 13 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska’s North Slope. For more, we speak with Siqiñiq Maupin, executive director of Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic, who says Willow would undermine Biden’s larger climate goals. “This project would emit so much carbon, it would actually double the amount that Biden had promised he would reduce,” they say.

#DemocracyNow

[archieclement]

Did you really expect Joe Biden to keep his promises? He never has.

[sympaticosympatico]

When corporaations stand to make billions, do you really expect politicians who are their corporate servants to stand in the way?

[Saints]

Amazing how he can make it to the Arctic Circle, but the Texas border is outer space.

[anthonymcneill]

I have been to Point Barrow and North Pole Alaska. Indeed, a beautiful treasure of land and wildlife.

[Sharona-]

And they wanted to get rid of oil and gas until it's something that will destroy people and animals or fill their pockets or both. Then they give it a big green light.

[idaransom]

Don't fail us now President Biden! Come on already, damn! We can do better!
Planet Earth, our home & Environment is as important as life itself for us and for many species!
Dear God, what is this?
Corporate America, no doubt!

[Thaddeus]

we should never do anything without the approval of indigenous people..

[bluesfanman]

If there’s money in it for Joe, it’s a go.

[VivaLaSocialismo]

To be fair he said no more drilling on arctic land, period, period, period (...)

His office responded for a comment yesterday, ... we will end the wars between Caribou ...

[stephensuddick]

Humanity is on a collision course with environmental disaster, and there is apparently nothing that will alter that date with destiny.

[Midnightlunawing]

Leave Alaska alone !!! Enough is enough!!!

[TheMouseAvenger]

We really, REALLY need to tell Biden about this right away, repeatedly & most emphatically!

[Raja-bzyw]

Yeah this doesn't make sense. Aren't we trying to reduce the use of oil anyways? This just seems like we are increasing oil dependency. I don't get this.

[nil]

The fossil fuel industry has to be shut down.

[cheri]

What another sensational mess.
Leave Alaska and the Artic, the Amazon alone, and the Congo, all indigenous cultures we can learn from them. Candidate Biden and President Biden is double speak.

[reidsmith]

All subsidies to petroleum companies must be ended now!
Petroleum companies must be required to make reparations to all of the peoples of the world affected by climate change due to petroleum companies excesses!

[VanillateaGirl]

Go yell at China and India and Japan!! They have billions. We have under 400, 000, 000 Americans. What’s wrong with this picture????

[sallycasas]

Drilling oil on taxpayer owned federal land must mean, the gasoline will be free since the taxpayers already own the land. We, the taxpayers and specifically the Native Americans surviving in Alaska have the right to reject the oil corporations from stealing and contaminating Alaska's already fragile environment, it's native citizens limited resources that sustain their ability to live and thrive. Stop the greed! What the sense do these back door deals make in the interest of the human, animal and ocean life of America and our Planet's environment? Compassion, transparency, integrity and accountability for all!

[johnnyturner]

Funny thing about the natives. They use diesel to run generators to run their towns that cost them alot of money because of where they are and how they have to get the fuel yo them and your going to tell me they want to go back to the old days where thry had not power. This native could not be on the internet if it weren't for fossil fuels. Keep calm and drill on. The usa is the best at reducing emissions and foot print.

[beverlyweber]

There is also a tremdous amount of methane that will be flared off!