On Monday, Biden’s administration gave the green light to a sprawling oil drilling project in Alaska. This project will be located inside the National Petroleum Reserve, about 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. The project will give oil companies the ability to drill in an area that’s roughly the size of Florida. The reserve has long been off-limits, Bien signed an executive order earlier this year to open it up for drilling.
The project has been many years in the making. The area is filled with oil, but it was previously too difficult and costly to get out. Now that drilling technology has improved and energy prices are higher than they’ve been in a decade, companies are eager to tap into these reserves.
Who does this affect the most?
The Native American community closest to the site has also opposed the project. The administration is pushing this project forward in the midst of a global climate crisis. People need to keep fossil fuels in the ground, not expand drilling into America’s last wild places.
This project will cover 19,000 acres of land. The site is located on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, which is home to the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations. The tribes are deeply concerned about the potential environmental impact of drilling in this area.
This bill will also give the state of Alaska control over how this land is used. They can decide what they want to do with it, whether it is keeping it as pristine wilderness or opening up mining and drilling operations. This could be a huge benefit for the state because they would no longer have to rely on federal funding for projects like this one. The only thing standing in their way is an environmentalist group called “Friends of Alaska Wilderness” who are protesting against this bill.
They are claiming that this bill would destroy the wilderness and wildlife of Alaska. It will be impossible to protect it from being ruined if the land is opened up for drilling.
What have they done?
The Biden administration claims that they have taken the concerns of the Native community into consideration and have adjusted their plan accordingly. However, many people are still concerned about how this will impact the natural environment in Alaska.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill that would allow drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This is home to many endangered species such as caribou, polar bears, and snow geese. This decades-long project has activists ready to stop it. It has the capacity to release enough pollution as 2 million production cars. The global warming activist has wanted to shut down this project for years and now that it is in process, they want it shut down.
What could they do in this position?
The bill has been passed by the House of Representatives. It is up to the Senate to decide if they want to pass it or not. The area in question is 12 million acres, which is a small size compared to Alaska’s total area of 570 million acres.
This area is rich in natural resources and has a lot of untapped oil and gas reserves. The production from this area could create thousands of jobs for Alaskan citizens.
While the state of Alaska is trying to make a decision about what they want to do with this land, it is important that they listen to all sides of the argument. If they do not, then there is a chance that we will lose this beautiful land forever.
The group is also worried that the state will not be able to regulate the companies that come in, and they will pollute the water and soil. However, one of the sponsors of this bill says that these fears are unfounded. He says that he has been working on this issue for years now, and has seen how well Alaska can manage its resources without federal interference.
Written By Agustin Perez
Sources
NBC News: Biden administration approves controversial Alaska oil drilling project
CNN: Biden administration approves controversial Willow oil project in Alaska, which has galvanized online activism
PBS: Controversial oil drilling project in Alaska approved by Biden administration
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Bryan McLellan Flickr page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of JLS Photography – Alaska Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
