Alaska oil plan opponents lose 1st fight over Willow project

By BECKY BOHRER
Associated Press

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Opponents of a major oil project on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope lost the first round of their legal battle over the Willow project but said they would not give up. A federal judge on Monday rejected requests by environmental groups and an Alaska Native organization to delay construction related to Willow. The decision means ConocoPhillips Alaska can forge ahead with cold-weather construction work, including mining gravel and using it to extend a road toward the Willow project while lawsuits challenging the project are pending. The groups are seeking to have last month’s approval of the project by the Biden administration overturned.