An agreement has been reached between federal regulators and the Nuiqsut community in Alaska to oversee the development of ConocoPhillips’ Willow oil drilling project on the North Slope. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management signed a right-of-way agreement with Nuiqsut Trilateral Inc. that gives the community authority over 1 million acres of land around Teshekpuk Lake, a key habitat for the Teshekpuk Caribou Herd.
The agreement prohibits new leasing, roads, exploration activities, or mining related to the Willow project on this land. The goal is to protect the herd and its habitat during the operation of the project, which is set to start producing oil in 2029. The community-led initiative aims to offset the impact of the Willow project on the caribou population.
Kuukpik Corp., the for-profit Native corporation of Nuiqsut, proposed the right-of-way arrangement to mitigate the negative impacts of the Willow development on the caribou herd. While the Biden administration approved the project despite environmental concerns, the Nuiqsut Trilateral Inc. has come to support the development after securing protections for the caribou.
ConocoPhillips has been actively developing smaller oil production sites on the western side of the North Slope, with the Nuna site recently beginning operations ahead of schedule. Other sites, including Fiord West Kuparuk and Narwhal, have also started production in the past few years. The Nuiqsut community’s involvement in environmental oversight showcases a new model of protection led by local stakeholders in Alaska’s oil-rich region.
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