March 13, 2023 by Darren Pasek (‘25)
Biden is facing one of his largest dilemmas yet: submitting to the temptation of lobbying money for his campaign and backing a local and national economic lift, or holding true to his promise of protecting the environment. Oil giant ConocoPhillips has been planning a massive, decades long oil project on the northern coast of Alaska: The Willow Project. The land is federally owned by the National Petroleum Reserve and has passed all approval needed except the signature of the president himself–Biden has the unique power to enact this project, or to stop it in its tracks. The project involves creating three drill pads and would produce, in total, an enormous 600 million barrels of oil. That is a copious number, and it would be a very lucrative endeavor. The local economy would also benefit, Willow would generate $17 billion and employ 2,500 local workers.
Biden was very adamant about his pledge to reduce carbon emissions and prioritize environmental conservation–it was one of the cornerstones of his campaign. His campaign website still claims that the United States will be entirely net-zero emissions “no later than 2050.” His site also pledges to enact legislation which will “incentivize the rapid deployment of clean energy innovations across the economy, especially in communities most impacted by climate change.” The Willow Project is completely contrary to the latter claim his site makes, and surely does not aid a net-zero emission energy system.
The Willow Project would produce as much pollution as 2 million gas powered cars. The permafrost in the area around Willow is also beginning to melt, and much of the infrastructure surrounding the project is reliant on the ice being solid. Ironically, ConocoPhillips has developed a plan to use “chillers” to freeze the ground, so they can then extract oil. Their project will melt the ice, but they need to refreeze it just so they can melt it even more. The temptation is clear for the project’s appeal, and Biden’s administration last seemed as though they were going to give it the go-ahead. That fact is extremely tentative though, he could certainly say no, especially considering the publicity the project has received in the media and on social media.
#StopWillow has been viral on most platforms, Twitter and TikTok especially. Usually, these cumbersome political projects are depicted to be much more complicated than they are, therefore the public does not feel qualified to take a position on them. Willow, however, has had an unprecedented level publicity and the public has been especially vocal. It’s probable that Biden would have signed the project into action without hesitation had it not been so contested by the people. This is quite encouraging because it shows that, no matter how Biden decides, the public actually had an impact on his thought process.
Willow has really provided another anecdote for what the US presidential administration prioritizes: the economy. Economic statistics are always the first thing mentioned when talking about a president’s success. And the sector that allows an economy to thrive like no other? Oil. The presidents know this, too. An entire war was fought for 20 years to control Middle Eastern oil sites. Even though they know that their economic practices will result in compounded problems down the line for future administrations, presidents also know that the future will not be as likely to remember them for the polluting practices they followed–as long as such practices are profitable.
The Willow Project is no different, it is just another brick in the wall when it comes to the oil industry’s legacy. All that Biden would be held personally responsible for is giving northern Alaskan economies a boost. This whole situation really proves the value the president serves to the country–the position is inherently a slave to lobbying and making themselves look virtuous. ConocoPhillips has been planting seeds for this project by lobbying Alaskan political organizations for years. Whether Biden blocks The Willow Project or not, his hesitation and negotiation demonstrates the true motivation behind a president’s actions: preserving their legacy.
Since the publishing of this article, President Biden has approved The Willow Project.