Judge puts plans for gravel construction and mining at large Alaska oil discovery on hold for up to

Judge puts plans for gravel construction and mining at large Alaska oil discovery on hold for up to 2 weeks


U..S. District Court Judge Sharon Gleason said in a decision on Saturday that she will temporarily prevent ConocoPhillips from opening a gravel mine or building a gravel road at the Willow oil discovery, after conservation groups appealed her decision last week allowing the work.

The project is located in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, near the Alaska Native village of Nuiqsut. It could produce 600 million barrels of oil over 30 years, estimates say.

Supporters argue that the project, if ConocoPhillips ultimately decides to produce oil there, will boost Alaska revenues and jobs. Opponents say it will harm the environment.

Sovereign Iñupiat for a Living Arctic, the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth and other conservation groups are seeking to stop the project altogether.

Read more: https://www.adn.com/business-economy/2021/02/07/judge-puts-plans-for-gravel-construction-and-mining-at-conocophillips-large-alaska-oil-discovery-on-hold-for-up-to-2-weeks/