Biden administration approves limited development of Alaska's Willow oil project

[BumRushDaShow]

16. Rep. Mary Pelota (D, at-large AK) wrote an editorial last week

Am not a "The Hill" fan but that is where it appears -

Opinion>Congress Blog
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill
On Willow, Democrats should listen more

by Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), opinion contributor - 03/05/23 8:00 PM ET


As a freshman representative, I’m used to people not knowing my name, even in my own party. Some just know me as the “pro-fish” candidate who replaced Don Young. I am definitely made of salmon, but I am focused on delivering for Alaskans on every issue they care about.  Alaska is the largest state in the union (2.5 times the size of Texas), and I am its sole Representative.  There is a lot on my plate, and right now, my biggest priority is an energy project on Alaska’s North Slope. It’s called the Willow Project, and it could be the lifeline that keeps the Alaska I love alive. 

I know that as a country, and especially in the Democratic Party, we are increasingly looking away from fossil fuels—as we should. I am a leading Alaskan voice in support of renewable energy and my state’s incredible potential for wind, solar, tidal, and geothermal generation. And I’m proud of the progress Alaska has made in green development. Alaskans share the desire to phase out fossil fuels. But we are hurt by the disregard that we hear from many people who talk about mitigating the energy transition’s impacts on marginalized communities while dismissing the voice of the first Alaska Native representative in Congress.

Alaskans — and certainly Alaska Natives — aren’t blind to the impacts of climate change. We are on the front lines. We see our sea ice shrinking. We breathe in smoke from the summer wildfires. We’ve called this land home for thousands of years. Now, our homes are sinking into permafrost. We understand climate change more than most. If Democrats want to help us, they should listen to us.

We can’t shoulder the burden of fixing global climate change alone. And in their own words, Democrats say we shouldn’t have to. The same experts advocating for the transition to renewable energy acknowledge that it’s just that — a transition. We can’t flip a switch and power our ATVs, boats, and planes with electric batteries overnight.  Pretending that we can transition instantly is just as irresponsible as claiming that we can continue burning fossil fuels forever. 

(snip)

More: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3885442-on-willow-democrats-should-listen-more/