A group of US lawmakers has launched an inquiry into six environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs) accused of attempting to halt the Willow oil project in Alaska’s North Slope.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Representative Nick Begich (R-Alaska) are seeking information on the actions of the Centre for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace USA and the Natural Resources Defence Council.
The Willow project, operated by ConocoPhillips, is located within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and is expected to produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd) at peak capacity.
Estimates place recoverable reserves at approximately 600 million barrels. The project covers a gravel footprint of around 385 acres in the 23-million-acre reserve.
Proponents claim it could generate between $8bn and $17bn in federal, state and local tax revenues over its lifetime. Additionally, the development is projected to create around 2,500 construction jobs and 300 permanent positions.
Committee members have voiced concerns over what they describe as coordinated legal challenges brought by these organisations to impede the project’s progress.
According to Committee documentation, the review focuses on what it describes as lawfare strategies, including ethically dubious sue-and-settle tactics. It also examines allegations that the organisations have sought to drown out the voices of Native Alaskans while simultaneously undermining US energy independence.
The Committee stated that its investigation is focused on whether these groups have followed established legal procedures or have used lawsuits to delay or derail energy infrastructure projects.
The Willow project has received support across political parties as well as from many Native Alaskan communities living in and around the North Slope.
Supporters cite economic opportunities linked to job creation and revenue streams that could benefit local residents. Project backers also highlight claims by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) that failure to develop Willow would require increased oil imports from foreign sources, potentially impacting national energy security.
The House Committee members wrote: “The House Committee on Natural Resources is conducting oversight related to [the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, Earthjustice, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the Natural Resources Defense Council] efforts to derail the widely supported bipartisan Willow Project.
“The Committee is particularly concerned with [the groups’] coordination with other activist special interest groups, many of which employ lawfare strategies, including ethically dubious sue and settle tactics, to not only champion a disdain for established essential multiple use principles, but also drown out the voices of native Alaskans while simultaneously undermining American energy independence.”
Environmental groups have previously challenged the project in federal court. In 2020, following a permitting process that began in 2018, the BLM issued a final Environmental Impact Statement and a Record of Decision approving Willow’s Master Development Plan.
Lawsuits were then filed by several activist organisations alleging failures in environmental review or procedure.
In response to ongoing litigation and public scrutiny, federal agencies under the Biden administration issued a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement in 2023 along with an updated Record of Decision allowing development to continue.
The House Committee’s investigation also raises questions regarding whether environmental groups are disregarding traditional land use principles. According to statements from Committee members, there is concern that coordinated opposition campaigns may override local support for resource development projects.
