Biden approves Willow oil project over Alaska Native objections

The Biden administration approves the Willow oil project on Alaska's North Slope on March 13, 2023. Some Alaska Native leaders and regional corporations support the project for jobs and revenue, while other Native leaders and climate advocates oppose it because of environmental and subsistence concerns. The decision highlights conflict within and between Native communities over federal land, climate policy, and economic development. Opponents argue that frontline Indigenous communities bear disproportionate environmental burdens. Environmental decisions on Native lands often raise civil rights questions about sovereignty, consultation, health, and unequal exposure to harm.