Federal judge rejects environmentalists’ request to vacate massive Alaska oil project

The approval of a massive oil-drilling project in Alaska got the green light from a federal judge Thursday, despite environmentalists’ objections, the Associated Press reports.

A grassroots Iñupiat group and environmentalists had asked the federal court to vacate the Biden administration's approval of the project, but U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason rejected the request.

Gleason, the AP reported, stated that the company has a right to develop the leases in the reserve, “subject to reasonable restrictions and mitigation measures imposed by the federal government.”

The decision may be appealed.

The Biden administration approved the Willow project in March, but it included restrictions on offshore oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean and Alaska’s North slope.

The $8 billion project by ConocoPhillips has the potential to produce 629 million barrels of crude oil over 30 years.