Protections Against Arctic Drilling Welcome but Don't Justify Alaska's Willow Project

Statement of Mark Brownstein, EDF’s Senior Vice President, Energy Transition

March 14, 2023
Matthew Tresaugue, mtresaugue@edf.org, (713) 392-7888

“The Biden administration’s new rules for Arctic Alaska are welcome protections from oil and gas development. Such steps are long overdue. But they do not justify or offset the decision to approve the massive Willow Project, which will lock in oil infrastructure for at least the next three decades at a time when scientists are calling for the U.S.—and the world—to urgently reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

“As the world’s largest oil and gas producer, the U.S. has an obligation to lead by example. We must move even more aggressively to build out a clean energy future and reduce climate pollution if we're going to achieve the president's goal of cutting emissions in half by 2030.”

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