Willow Project Prevention
March 3, 2023
The Willow Project, a recent project proposed by ConocoPhillips, puts the planet’s climate as well as its biodiversity at risk of detrimental harm. The project’s irreversible effects will cause a number of issues for our climate.
The Willow Project, also known as the Willow Master Development Plan, is an oil project that’s planning to extract more than 600 million barrels of oil from Alaska. From the Evergreen Action’s website, it’s said that back in 2020 it was approved by the Trump administration. It’s now being decided if the Willow Project should press forward with their plans. The Willow Project was made by the people behind ConocoPhillips.
ConocoPhillips is quite biased with their plan. They say that the Willow Project will create new jobs and generate more fossil fuel energy for America, only focusing on the “benefits.” They are on this high pedestal of how they believe that the benefits will outweigh the negatives. However, this is harmful because it doesn’t reveal the true extent of the Willow Project.
If the Willow Project proceeds, it will lead to the destruction of our environment and ecosystem for the next 3 decades. Apparently, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) hasn’t taken in account the risks of gas leaks near the area. From the website of American Progress, “This March, a methane gas release occurred at ConocoPhillips’ Alpine Field drilling site, not far from the proposed Willow project, leading to the evacuation of personnel from the site as well as the departure of families from the nearby village of Nuiqsut who feared it was too dangerous to stay.” And yet, the Willow Project has the ready from the Bureau of Land Managements to press onward with its plans.
Not only will the Willow Project hurt the state of climate change, but it will also hurt the wildlife and communities near the plant. Indigenous communities and animals’ precious ecosystems and habitats are already at risk and with the probability of the gas leaks the effects will be detrimental to biodiversity.
Now how can this be stopped? Signing petitions and calling the government office is the way to go. A petition called Stop Willow Project was signed by 50k people, however, more support is needed since there’s extensive political support and approval for the project. No matter what, don’t stay silent about this matter.
Sign the Petition Here:
J. Adami • Oct 17, 2024 at 7:53 PM
So why does the lead off to this story against the ConocoPhillips Willow project have an emblem displaying African, Southern Europe, and the Middle East?
So the author, or contributor to this article mentions Nuiqsuit. Did they speak to any of the villagers there? Because I know several; and pretty much the entire village loves the idea of the Willow project. The next nearest “indigenous community” (that’s not what they are referred to in Alaska, by any of the residents, native or not), is Utqiagvik (Originally known as Barrow), which is about a day away by snow machine, and they’re pretty happy with it too. Utqiagvik is also the home of Arctic Slope Native Corporation (ASRC), the multi billion dollar corp owned 100% by North Slope natives, and the owner of both the sub surface mineral rights as well as several of the prime contractors on the Willow project. They happen to be in love with the project as well. But to those folks signing petitions against a project they know nothing about, they might also be happy to know that these are the same “indigenous” communities that practice their “ancestral” whale hunts by using Marine Mammal Observers placed on oil and gas service vessels to identify whale pods for the whaling crews to hunt down with high speed whaling skiffs, and triangulate the pods with GPS units and radios, only to kill them with harpoon cannons and exploding tipped harpoons, then to drag them on shore with Caterpillar D9 bull dozers, before cutting them to pieces with chain saws. They do however leave the bones and carcasses out for the polar bear to feed on. However when the bears do arrive in droves to feast on what is left, the villagers shoot them with impunity for their hides (the Inupaiq don’t eat polar bear meat).
To those that have never ventured into Alaska (home for generations of my family by the way), the differences between villages and the “on-lease” oilfield is very stark indeed. You cannot so much as find a cigarette but or Styrofoam cup anywhere within the oilfield. Villages on the other hand, look somewhat like landfills with roads in them. Nuiqsuit being an exception; where the oil companies fund just about every facet of community service.
Jules • Mar 13, 2023 at 8:24 PM
Why are we doing this this will kill our beautiful earth as we know it we will put an end to this madness and if we do go along with it, imagine all the animals that we will lose and imagine our kids asking us oh what is a polar bear because they agent extinct because the willow project and think about our oceans all the pollution in the air and we don’t care about this situation at all apparently this will kill our beautiful planet and the life that we have on earth. And so much carbon dioxide will pollute our air and atmosphere and effect global warming
Jules • Mar 13, 2023 at 8:23 PM
Why are we doing this this will kill our beautiful earth as we know it we will put an end to this madness and if we do go along with it, imagine all the animals that we will lose and imagine our kids asking us oh what is a polar bear because they agent extinct because the willow project and think about our oceans all the pollution in the air and we don’t care about this situation at all apparently this will kill our beautiful planet and the life that we have on earth.