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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Texas chapter.

What is Project Willow?

The project would involve using petroleum stored in the Alaskan North Slopes. This project has the potential to produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil a day, which is over 7,560,000 gallons. This project was proposed during the Trump administration but has yet to be approved by the Biden administration. Despite Biden promising to turn away from non-renewable energy sources such as oil, he is still defending this project. 

Why is it controversial?

The Willow Project would produce the equivalent of more than 278 million tons of greenhouse gasses over its 30-year life. This is equal to 2 million cars. If this project were to be approved, Willow would emit more climate pollution annually than more than 99.7% of all single-point sources in the country. 

How can we stop it?

Petitions

https://www.change.org/p/joseph-r-biden-biden-administration-and-conocophillips-say-no-to-the-willow-project

Send a letter to President Biden and Secretary Haaland

https://www.protectthearctic.org/stop-willow

Call and record a message for the White House switchboard

+1 202-456-1111

Use the script below:

My name is ____ and I’m calling from ____ to express my opposition to the ConocoPhillips Willow Oil project in America’s Arctic. I’m asking President Biden to keep his climate commitments, to take decisive action on climate change, and to advance environmental justice. I urge the President to listen to the deep concerns about Willow that have been voiced by local Indigenous leaders, scientists, and even his own administration. Please tell President Biden and the Department of the Interior to say NO to Willow and to continue to put the American people over oil industry profits. 

Sources:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/03/01/willow-project-biden-conoco-phillips/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/02/politics/willow-project-petition-concessions-biden-climate/index.html

https://www.change.org/p/joseph-r-biden-biden-administration-and-conocophillips-say-no-to-the-willow-project

https://www.protectthearctic.org/stop-willow

Mayahuel Crane is a writer and the President/Editor-in-Chief, previously the Marketing and Public Relations Director, at the Her Campus at Texas chapter. She is responsible for overseeing all chapter writers, editors, as well as the executive and working boards. She creates and approves the editorial and chapter calendars and ensures content expectations and guidelines are met. She works with with brands to create exciting professional opportunities for members to develop skills in marketing and connections with major brands. She also created “Pinch of Politics,” a Her Campus news segment dedicated to making knowledge about current events accessible. Outside of Her Campus, Maya is an active member of her community and currently works for the Chicana por mi Raza Digital Memory Collective and Latino Research Institue, two organizations dedicated increasing access to knowledge about systems that harm Latino communities. She teaches elementary school students about mental health through Project Yellow and is pre-law. Maya has won “Best Feature for Current Events and News” twice for her “Pinch of Politics” articles and has successfully sustained her segment for over two years. She is a third-year Government and Mexican American Latino Studies double major at the University of Texas at Austin. Mayahuel is a huge political buff and loves to research and write in her free time. She also loves concerts, being with friends, and anything pink.