AFN praises President Biden’s decision to approve the Willow Project

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Monday, March 13th, 2023 4:11pm

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Anchorage, Alaska (KINY) - The Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) thanked President Biden for his Administration’s decision to approve ConocoPhillips’ Willow Project in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPRA).

AFN released the following the statement:

AFN acknowledges that President Biden had to weigh competing interests and prioritizing our nation's national security during these challenging times.

"AFN thanks our Congressional Delegation, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan, and U.S. Representative Mary Sattler Peltola and the north slope community for their continued advocacy on this critical project," said AFN President Julie Kitka. "National security, energy security, economic security, and food security all come together and must be consciously addressed. The Willow project bolsters U.S. energy security at an important time when we are trying to raise the urgency of investing in critical needs arising because of Russia's aggression and its very real implications in the north."

"I thank the Biden Administration for listening to the voices of Alaskans, especially Alaska Native communities," said AFN Co-Chair Joe Nelson. "As Native people, we can appreciate the balancing act involved when it comes to making big decisions. Strengthening our communities now for the benefit of future generations is always at the front of our minds."

"Many Alaskans came together to make this project a reality," said AFN Co-Chair Ana Hoffman. "This project represents the best of Alaska and the many different organizations, including Alaska Native leaders, private industry, labor leaders, and our State Legislature, who all understood how critical the Willow project is to our nation's national security."

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Record of Decision under the National Environmental Policy Act HERE.

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