Democrats Criticize Biden’s Failed Climate Promises in Approving Alaska Willow Oil Project

Democrats Criticize Biden’s Failed Climate Promises in Approving Alaska Willow Oil Project
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) speaks on banning stock trades for members of Congress at a news conference on Capitol Hill on April 07, 2022. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
Frank Fang
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The Biden administration’s decision to approve a 30-year oil-drilling project has sparked criticism from Democrats—and particularly progressives—from both chambers of Congress.

The Department of the Interior (DOI) approved the Willow Project on Monday, allowing oil giant ConocoPhillips to move forward with a drilling plan within a northeastern section of the 23 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). The company has forecast that the project will produce as much as 180,000 barrels of oil a day at peak, and more than 600 million barrels of oil equivalent over its 30-year lifespan.