Biden ignores deadline to appeal decision blocking ConocoPhillips’ Willow project

By
Suzanne Downing
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39

ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project and the Alaska economy in general was dealt a blow by the Biden Administration on Monday, when Biden refused to appeal a federal district court decision that halted the Willow Master Development Plan in the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska.

A year ago, the Trump Administration’s Department of the Interior signed a record of decision on the final environmental impact statement for the proposed Willow Project. But then the election happened, and Joe Biden became president. Environmental groups sued over the decision.

In August of 2021, federal Judge Sharon Gleason handed a victory to environmentalists when she voided the approval of Willow. She said BLM failed to analyze the impact of greenhouse emissions.

The Biden Administration could have appealed that ruling and President Joe Biden has in recent months said that he would allow Willow to be developed, but the administration didn’t file an appeal by the Monday deadline.

Willow would have provided 160,000 barrels per day to the Trans Alaska Pipeline System, and would have given a more than 32 percent boost to the throughput in the pipeline, which is averaging less than 500,000 barrels per day currently.

Friends of the Earth and the Center for Biological Diversity hailed the Biden Administration for deciding to not appeal the lower court decision.

Hallie Templeton, legal director for Friends of the Earth, said, “We urge federal officials to go further and stop new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters, in the Arctic and beyond.”

Missing the deadline for appealing the Gleason decision means the Bureau of Land Management will need to address the climate change issues brought forward by Gleason, and other issues, such as the impact on polar bears.

39 COMMENTS

  3. Oh well, we can just import all of our oil from the Saudis. I think Joe recently asked the Saudis to lower oil prices in which they quickly said no. Who needs a revenue stream anyway, Friends of the Earth say we can just sit around, hold hands, and sing songs.

  6. Is this a surprise to anyone? Biden ran for office on ending oil! And we also know they will continue this global warming farce in order to end all emission type energy sources forever. They will milk the people of the world with their global tax to get rich and make the peasants poorer. Of course, their lifestyles will never change as the rest of us need to grovel at their feet. Rules for thee but not for me because I am aiding the global cabals effort to enslave the planet. Anyone still asleep as to what is happening to our once great country? Stand up for freedom!

  9. They refused to let us do the polar bear fly overs, Then turn around and say because you didn’t do the flyovers…

    Everything was approved and good to go when Trump was in office.

    Instead of red tape, I’ll call it a bunch or blue tape, because the Biden Admin along with Rhino sucker Murkowski, and all these politically driven judges, have failed working Alaskans!

      • Evan, is there someone in your household with any sanity and decency who could prevent you from embarrassing yourself with your consistently insulting and nonsensical comments before you post them?

  10. Attached below is the link from Murkowski’s seat website on the history of this project and the efforts her, Dan, and Don did to protect this project. Keep in mind, Deb Haaland was confirmed in March after the 9th District extended Sharon Gleason’s ruling in February. Shockingly, Dan Sullivan confirmed Deb Haaland, her history being very well documented and so no one can be surprised about what she thinks about how federal lands are to be managed going forward. Dan defends his decision by saying his vote either way made no difference, and the vote serves more or less an olive branch to negotiate with the Biden Admin. Well, didn’t work Dan. I remember the celebratory pictures and news of Dan and Lisa getting Biden’s support to move the project forward. I hope Suzanne, that you keep on this one and we don’t forget, and I thank you for what you do. We have to hear these things from you, when it should be coming from them first.
    This is a big deal. Dan Sullivan needs replaced as well. I question his integrity. I don’t trust that guy.
    “https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/alaska-delegation-condemns-court-ruling-on-alaskas-north-slope-willow-project-“

  11. How about we take all electronics from this group since a vast majority of them require petroleum i.e. Oil to produce. They should also walk wherever they want to go since all vehicles including EV require Oil to operate.

  13. Environmental groups like Friends of the Earth and the Center for Biological Diversity are lobbyists for foreign countries to undermine our energy infrastructure and energy independence. Just as the anti fracking groups are foreign sponsored response to the competitiveness of American energy at the global trade level.
    Russia and Saudi Arabia were directly affected by the American energy resurgence.
    There are no greenhouse gas studies to disrupt the economy in Russia, China and Saudi Arabia. Oil and gas remain essential resources and pollution is magnified by producing in Russia and Saudi Arabia.
    Just as outsourcing manufacturing to CCP China, with their primitive production protocols enhance pollution.
    Biden is a placeholder for the 3rd Obama administration. These interests are treasonous and toxic promoting the interests of foreign powers.
    The Biden Administration is begging, on their prostrated knees, Russia and Saudi Arabia to increase production.
    Biden and his handlers are in the pay of hostile foreign powers.
    You never see these groups protest in Russia or Saudi, they are frauds. They never protest against the hundreds of coal fired plants being built in China and India.
    This proves the climate crisis is a hoax. If the world was ending these extremists would protest where the problem is, not here.

    • Whatever point you were trying to make and your credibility disappeared when you claimed that the climate crisis is a hoax.

      • The major crisis is the intellectual climate in this Country, which now has a majority of idiots as you aptly demonstrate; have some more KoolAid brainwashed lefty.

      • Climate change has been occurring for the 4 billion years the Earth has been here, and will continue until it is gone. The idea that the crisis is caused by puny man is a money and power grubbing hoax perpetuated by the psychopathic and believed by the weak minded. Thinking is hard, just do what the talking head says.

        • If you factor the admittedly hard to comprehend notion of deep time into climate change, you’ll learn that adaptation to change is the least ecologically disruptive if the change occurs over hundred of thousands of years. For humans now though, we’re talking, what , 200 years?

          That’s the difference, the big difference.

          • The Earth, thankfully, has been warming significantly since the end of The Little Ice Age (with brief exception of The Tambora Event). Prior to that just within the Common Era history are the warm times of the Roman Empire, the cool times of the Fall Of The Roman Empire and Dark Ages, warm times of The Renaissance and Viking expansion to Greenland and North America, then The Little Ice Age from which we still recover. You can find all kinds of data to support any hypothesis-there is lots of money in it (like the Puget Sound temperature station recording just off SeaTac, where airliners fired up their engines). Reality is that the Earth will warm and prosper, then cool and fall into chaos once more. You can use intellect and be wary to adapt, or fall back on primal emotions to be swayed by the panic mongering megalomaniac naysayers who will lead us to another apocalypse. Respect the Earth; love your fellow beings; but don’t worship the Earth rather than the one who created it.

      • Evan,
        If you “believe” that man’s activities are causing a “climate crisis” then take your core beliefs and preach to Russia, China and India to prompt them to make whatever changes you think are needed.
        The consequences from the alleged climate crisis are so dire and time sensitive, once these countries leaders are made aware of this global catastrophy they are creating, they will undoubtedly take immediate remedial steps to deconstruct their economies for the “global” good.
        Leave productive people and businesses alone until then.

          • No, Evan, as usual, you fail to understand. Brian’s post argues for the inherent and blatant hypocrisy of radical leftist extremist nihilists, such as yourself, who hobble and destroy domestic industry while invariably turning a blind eye to the identical, and equally if not significantly more “evil”, industries in other countries.
            .
            In other words, Evan, why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, and considerest not the beam that is in thine foreigners’ own eye?

      • Evan, thank you for reminding us of what a hoax is. Did receding ice kill off the Polar Bears? That is exactly what the ” climate crisis ” folks said it would do. The simple truth is Evan, Arctic Sea ice has receded further then the “CC” folks predicted it would and on a much more accelerated scale. The result? More Polar Bears! Turns out Evan, less ice means more sun, which makes for more bio mass, ( fish) which means that there are more seals… oh, did I mention that Polar Bears exist on seals? So. Evan why did this ruling come down to ” concerns about Polar Bears? Sounds like this Judge swallowed a big hoax.
        You are a bright guy Evan. Science is cool too, don’t let politics get in your way of empirical observation.

  15. I guess its better we buy gas and oil from Brandon’s friends in the Mideast huh? All you greenies who want to comment please use your ink quills and deliver with the nearest horse and buggy

    • Then they’d want an environmental impact statement on the effects of road apples and horse piss puddles…

  16. We prefer to buy oil for Saudi or Russia. They have environmentally responsible oil developments and they treat all people with dignity and respect.

    • One of my coworkers who worked in Siberia said that if 90% of the oil put into the pipeline comes out on the other end, they consider it a success.

  17. First, this is a great project for Alaska, with a great company to execute, as well as a very responsible producer to operate for many years to come. Offering economic relief to many local businesses, tax royalties to the State, and 1000’s of real jobs.
    Second, if for any reason one thought that some amount of reasonable logic and common sense would’ve prevailed with regards to this administration, it should be quite clear “now” that they have a sinister plan to to utterly destroy resource development in Alaska.
    Third, if the Young, Sullivan and Daddy’s Little Princess (Show Pony’s) were thinking that they could buy support, ie: with their cooperation with this administration, they have committed an egregious and unforgivable error.
    Finally, as every Alaskan will be affected by this tragedy of epic proportions, remember to personally thank those responsible. AND, don’t ever forget the egregious actions of the great Show Pony’s in the next election cycle, if you’re still a resident.

  18. “tragedy of epic proportions”. Are you and Erak and Jefferson all competing to include the most hyperbole in a paragraph?

  22. Evan educate yourself and read Unsettled by Stevan Koonin former Climate Czar under Obama.
    Yes the earth is warming.
    What are realities of warming ?
    Most importantly how are the effects of warming now and in the future going to really impact the world.
    No wonder Alaska is the worst place to do business in America.

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