Federal Appeals Court Upholds Willow Oil Project Approval

A federal appeals court panel has upheld the approval of the massive Willow oil project on Alaska’s North Slope, declining to overturn a decision made by the Biden administration in March 2023. The ruling comes from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, addressing a long-standing dispute regarding the project’s environmental impacts.

The majority opinion identified a procedural but not substantive error by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in its analysis of the Willow project’s approval process. The panel determined that invalidating the project would lead to severe consequences, thus allowing it to move forward.

In response to the court’s ruling, ConocoPhillips Alaska has continued to develop infrastructure on-site, including the construction of new gravel roads, bridges, and pipelines, particularly during the colder months. This progress follows more than a year after the panel discussed the case.

The approval was met with opposition from environmentalists and a grassroots Iñupiat group that had previously appealed a lower court’s decision. However, support for the Willow project remains strong among Alaska’s Republican governor, congressional delegation, and local leaders, many of whom view it as essential for economic growth in their communities.

J. Elizabeth Peace, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Interior, noted that the agency does not comment on ongoing litigation, while inquiries have been directed at ConocoPhillips Alaska and various environmental groups for further insight.

The court’s decision signifies a major step forward for the Willow project amid ongoing debates about its environmental and economic implications.