A federal judge threw out federal approval of a multibillion-dollar oil project in Alaska, saying the government failed to properly assess the project’s impact on climate change and wildlife.
The ConocoPhillips Willow project had garnered support from both the Biden and Trump administrations, as well as from Alaskan lawmakers. Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy criticized the decision Wednesday night, saying it put thousands of potential jobs at risk.
U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason agreed with the opposition who argued that the Bureau of Land Management didn’t fully account for the greenhouse gases that would come from burning the oil produced, among other issues. The plaintiffs, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, included several environmental groups, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“As to the errors found by the Court, they are serious,” Judge Gleason, an Obama appointee seated in Anchorage, wrote in her 110-page decision.
Gov. Dunleavy accused the courts of intentionally making challenges to drilling even bigger. He said Wednesday’s ruling could make the country more dependent on foreign oil.
“Make no mistake, today’s ruling from a federal judge trying to shelve a major oil project on American soil does one thing: outsources,” Mr. Dunleavy said in a statement. “This is a horrible decision.”
