A federal appeals court panel upheld the approval of the Willow oil project in Alaska, finding procedural flaws but no serious errors, according to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The project, supported by the Biden administration, is under development by ConocoPhillips Alaska, which aims for first oil production by 2029.
Environmental groups, including Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic, challenged the approval, citing insufficient consideration of alternatives and expressing disappointment regarding potential industrialization in the region. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management approved three out of five proposed drilling sites, allowing for up to 199 wells.
