Court Finds Willow Oil Approval Violated Law But Drilling Continues

[{"selector":"#anim-62dfbb95-8447-43c8-be3d-8530dfbbe90b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a706e929-35bb-40e6-a482-4afd207af72c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.55696%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-66fe1b5d-b92d-4b05-a8a1-144d532d404d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13e1a9c7-fe9d-4dbb-9ce9-cbd65876d4aa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-122.3301%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":800,"duration":500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Court Finds Willow Oil Approval Violated Law But Drilling Continues Karmactive Staff

Federal court rules Alaska's massive Willow oil project approval violated environmental law, yet $17 billion Arctic drilling continues.

[{"selector":"#anim-78e3fdcd-f8af-461d-9649-efb6798e4050","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-dd616979-76cc-4702-a869-719abb67ec1f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.50632%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47fc0649-5b07-4216-b607-66d995839e52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-14d02b62-6a61-4670-b7ff-640bad5c523d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bd00b5d-0d6d-4d72-b102-0ca19ce1ade8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

ConocoPhillips' project aims to extract 180,000 barrels daily from Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve, with first oil expected by 2029.

[{"selector":"#anim-d63f12f6-46e8-48a2-9ad2-ee32c547f546","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9a6e5471-2f01-4b16-b100-133f958702bf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b6a34c92-6c72-42b5-ba68-cbacf2c4837b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a00738f4-99d8-4bfd-95b1-964e6e8c1840","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -111.1955%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0738467e-25fc-4f60-a7d7-31fc5c62b2a4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

The Ninth Circuit found BLM acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" when approving a scaled-down version without proper explanation.

[{"selector":"#anim-d40cf56f-ddec-41f9-84f2-bdd65dd338f9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f06e921f-7874-4610-a20e-0a4dc7b7bd3e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c3907b1-a366-4523-b1f3-d4642356ee1c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5707b183-ccf2-4da0-9ff8-687602a577d5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.60759%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5d0a6e08-6170-4204-93e5-3a0d13f4e0ea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo source: SkyTruth (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Despite the legal violation, construction continues because the court determined stopping the project would have "severe disruptive consequences."

[{"selector":"#anim-7fd02eb7-3c4d-4a95-8eb6-cad2d774ea07","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2b61b526-72b4-40cb-8d7c-2ad03aa1aa04","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 163.7807%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-009f2849-9c98-4003-b658-b4db1d266824","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6e53829-eab2-4feb-97bd-519cd950b250","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06c8af9d-cf92-4989-a463-93f7d840e891","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credits: Zukiman_Mohamad (CC0 1.0)

What's at stake? 2,500 construction jobs, 300 permanent positions, and up to $17 billion in government revenue over 30 years.

[{"selector":"#anim-02b3d6e1-8ccf-4e76-980e-1245a11a10a7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09b11532-ac94-474d-883a-4c5f840b72c3","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-afeb82cd-766d-42b6-a991-ecf63296052d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ef20fdd2-83d2-41e6-9812-2c7b78b48d6f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b3901e7-77e1-4b0b-9000-9be0b741c50d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Credits: Chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Environmental groups call Willow a "carbon bomb" that would release emissions equal to adding 2 million cars on roads for three decades.

[{"selector":"#anim-8ae8537f-70bf-44f8-ad75-e6702b84588b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-097327bb-331c-45a6-abf6-91f9152c4797","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.04866%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b17b5bc-3a5f-4186-9735-b3d070714e1f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8f101a9c-fbeb-4ab4-b0dc-d91a0b2b6d7a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-15215af0-e0af-4237-a098-040aecb9cf14","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Rawpixel (CC0 1.0)

The project threatens fragile Arctic ecosystems, including critical habitat for polar bears and caribou migration patterns.

[{"selector":"#anim-81c4a7e0-9ce9-4bba-80fd-02bb88d576e6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c347efc-4fa5-4aed-af9a-038d25596081","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2757178e-1c8b-41a5-805b-4f987c7f6ea6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-81f27cdb-c406-40ec-ab22-b56aaa8ad98a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5554169f-38ec-4e68-8207-f5dab0e9f06e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Rawpixel (CC0 1.0)

Judge Gabriel Sanchez's dissenting opinion argued the approval should have been entirely vacated due to "fundamental" errors.

[{"selector":"#anim-74a51eec-a4d9-44b5-b59d-9762e172271c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-354a589d-9c43-4137-acd9-5ba2c1d0b073","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 197.8299%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0b7729f-67e3-4967-833a-29140af8c430","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b5bd7580-7386-4d6b-9784-19d0200ae83a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2bdecb5-31d2-4f14-84e3-ecb9e86035fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Rawpixel (CC0 1.0)

This marks the second time courts have found BLM's Willow approvals illegal, putting pressure on the agency to justify the project.

[{"selector":"#anim-5fe45e88-7f7c-4a7c-aba0-dd5b65617122","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06c08bfe-3538-42e4-be6f-803aa91f2814","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 116.02864%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44c2218a-177d-453c-9d7e-2fe1e4cdf79c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-67f3d9eb-1b22-41d5-9b7c-1512b75a2a57","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.18987%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e20c8aee-d752-4071-9071-1ffbc9f8589f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Rawpixel (CC0 1.0) Learn more

While construction moves forward, BLM must now reconsider its approval – creating uncertainty for both industry and environmentalists.

[{"selector":"#anim-9e73f980-0867-4e1c-aac1-e0205b0432df","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5e57a9f2-21e9-4d5f-b595-06816db1fc5b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 164.43004%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":300,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-06cdcdad-a6ae-43c0-9598-9217d984810c","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8212836e-a015-4624-b4fb-11b442bda0b5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -114.48664%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c6828dd1-a2ae-41ee-85c1-5459daf679db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1400,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

[{"selector":"#anim-caa64db8-1b86-4164-9f39-1577916fca62","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-198fe657-5e12-4916-a58c-ed0782963a56","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7faae438-1f7b-4516-bf45-bc9c08ec7d99","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.50152%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":200,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d38d9676-280d-444d-8c4b-c9d13e3aa144","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-795b9f4e-793b-4478-8a61-ebf92534488b","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.2381%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":700,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Saguaro LNG Puts Gulf of California's Marine Life at Risk Learn more