JUNIAU, Alaska — A federal judge in Alaska on Friday rejected requests from environmental groups to halt winter construction work on the massive Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope, as the groups' legal battle over the drilling project continues.
U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason last month upheld the Biden administration's March approval of the ConocoPhillips Alaska project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, dismissing lawsuits filed by environmentalists and a grassroots Iñupiat group challenging the approval from Willow disputed.
These groups are appealing this decision and have asked Gleason to block ConocoPhillips Alaska's planned winter construction work while the appeal is pending. She rejected those requests on Friday.
Gleason said that while environmental impacts associated with winter activities are of “legitimate concern” to the groups, “only a small portion of the reserve will be affected.”
She wrote that the “strong legal support at both the state and federal levels to proceed with construction activities into the winter of 2023-2024 strongly argues against issuing an injunction pending appeal.”
The lawsuits raised concerns about Willow's greenhouse gas emissions and argued that federal agencies failed to consider how the project's increased emissions could affect ice-dependent species such as the polar bear, Arctic ringed seals and bearded seals, that are already experiencing disruptions due to the climate. change.
Willow has broad political support in Alaska, and many Alaska Native leaders on the North Slope and groups with ties to the region say Willow is economically vital to their communities. But climate activists have said allowing the project goes against President Joe Biden's promises to fight climate change. The government has defended its climate record.
While ConocoPhillips Alaska had proposed five drilling locations, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved three, which it said would total up to 199 wells. The project could produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day at its peak.
The company has started preparing ice roads and plans to begin surface-disturbing activities such as gravel mining and pipeline construction as early as Dec. 21, although the exact timing will depend on weather conditions, said Rebecca Boys, a company spokesperson .
Erik Grafe, an attorney with Earthjustice who is representing several environmental groups in one of the cases, said Gleason's decision was disappointing.
“We remain confident in our claims that Willow was unlawfully approved, and we look forward to presenting them to the appellate court,” Grafe said.