The Willow Project is a controversial oil drilling project just approved by the Biden Administration. It’s a multi-million-barrel oil drilling venture set to start in northern Alaska in the national petroleum reserve projected to hold 600 million barrels of oil. Controversy follows: when completed, it will excavate around 180,000 barrels of crude oil daily for the next 30 years, but spew more than 260 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere over the same period. 

The project will use chilling tubes to keep the permafrost they will be drilling through frozen. This, however, is ironic as the permafrost is already thawing with the progressive change in climate thanks to the use and burning of fossil fuels. 

Jesus Renteria, A North Hollywood High School Senior had this to say about the Willow Project “Biden’s whole thing was climate control and it makes no sense for him to approve this project. Not only that, but millions of people have voiced their opposition,” said Renteria. 

According to Earthjustice.org, A nonprofit public interest environmental law organization, over 5 million people voiced their opposition to the project but to no avail. Despite public protestings such as the walkout held at Champlain Valley Union High School and ones being held by native Alaskans the Biden administration still opted for climate destruction. 

“The thing with these situations is the voices of the people don’t matter. It’s only ever what big oil companies want, and we’re stuck with all of the pollution and negative effects,” said Renteria.

The irony of the matter continues as the project’s approval directly contradicts the Biden Administration’s climate goals. 

“ Some may try and argue that the after-effects of drilling projects such as this are minimal, but that’s easy for them to say because they aren’t directly affected the way that indigenous communities are.” said Renteria.

Some indigenous communities and Alaskan politicians have stressed the approval of the project because it will create much-needed revenue for the state and communities.

Wilbor Moreira, An Indigenous American and North Hollywood Husky Parent had this to say regarding the Willow Project “The thing is with these kinds of projects yes, they will cause damage to the planet, but some people may not see it that way. People will often only look at the plus sides like this project will create a much-needed revenue for people,” said Moreira. 

This revenue, however, won’t matter when pollution and ecological damage will riddle indigenous communities and tribes. 

One of these tribes, the Alaska native village of Nuiqsut, has already been struggling with the aftereffects of several previous drilling projects.

“We may not see it, but these drilling projects affect our native population more than anyone or anything else. The after-effects may not be immediately visible to us, but these people see and feel it because they thrive and live off the land. ”

“The true cost of the Willow Project is to the land and to animals and people forced to breathe polluted air and drink polluted water,” said Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic.

Although the approval of the Willow project will certainly deal a heavy blow to our planet’s ecosystem and efforts to reduce climate change, the climate change movement will continue fighting for a livable planet.