The Biden administration, on Friday, signaled support for a major oil drilling project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, despite Biden’s campaign promise to end oil and gas leasing on federal lands. Sen. Lisa Murkowsi (R-AK), who supports the project, hailed the release of the assessment as a “major announcement.” The project was initially approved by the Trump administration, then blocked by a federal court for failing to sufficiently consider climate and wildlife impacts, and supported by the Biden administration,

While the assessment is not final, pending a 45 day public comment period, the administration’s release of the assessment signals support, yet again, for the proposed multibillion dollar ConocoPhillips “Willow” project that, over its lifetime, would emit as much CO2 as a third of all US coal plants. “Totally furious that [@Interior] is one proforma step away from approving the ConocoPhillips Willow project,” CAP senior VP for energy and environment Christy Goldfuss tweeted Friday.

Dyani Chapman, Alaska Environment state director, called it “absurd … Alaska does not need any part of it,” and pointed out it “is a proposal to literally re-freeze the tundra that is melting because of climate change to drill for more oil that will be burned and make climate change worse.” (Washington Post $, New York Times $, Anchorage Daily News, The Hill, CNN, Wall Street Journal $)