Restriction on the Exploitation of Hydrocarbons Benefits the Environment and People’s Health
by Andreína Barreto Jové, Huella Zero
Measures promoted by the federal government contribute to protecting local biodiversity and native communities, says an expert.
A little more than a year after approving the Willow Project, by ConocoPhillips, Joe Biden reversed this decision in April 2024 and imposed new restrictions on the exploitation of hydrocarbons in a federal area located north of Alaska. This means a return of the Biden-Harris administration to public policies focused on caring for and preserving the environment.
The limitations approved by the Department of the Interior seek to prohibit drilling on 13 of the 23 million acres that make up the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve, an area that is home to protected species and is considered “sacred territory” for Alaska Natives.
ConocoPhillips was to produce 189,000 barrels of crude oil per day from fields located 320 kilometers from the Arctic Circle. This meant an estimated emission of between 239 and 299 million metric tons of greenhouse gases over the next 30 years of the project, according to an environmental impact analysis.
In April, Biden also limited construction of the Ambler Access Project, an essential road to reach what is estimated to be a copper deposit buried under ecologically sensitive land.
Samarys Seguinot-Medina, director of the Environmental Health Program at Alaska Community Action on Toxics, said proposals related to hydrocarbon exploitation are responsible for environmental problems in communities located north of Alaska and the Arctic.
“There is nothing more important than respecting and recognizing the sovereignty of indigenous peoples, especially when human and environmental health are threatened in their communities. In addition, they cause serious health crises,” Seguinot-Medina explained of Biden’s move.
She stressed that there is a correlation between the release of air pollutants by these industries and an increase in asthma episodes and various respiratory illnesses in children and seniors in northern Alaskan communities. In her opinion, the Biden-Harris administration’s decision is favorable for the protection of the health of the most vulnerable Alaska Natives and communities; In addition, it strengthens the protection of natural resources for future generations in the face of the threats of climate change.
Seguinot-Medina also dismissed the statements of Kaeb Froehlich, director of Amber Metals, who said he was “disappointed” by Biden’s decision. In the opinion of the company’s representative, the president “ignores the support of the local communities” (for the company) due to the creation of jobs.
“These industries provide jobs for locals, but they are temporary and come at a high cost to the health and well-being of the individual, their family and their community. Once the mining company has exhausted the mineral resource, the person loses their job and begins to suffer from chronic diseases due to exposure,” Seguinot-Medina refuted in an interview with Huella Zero. She concluded that the exploitation of hydrocarbons has left a historical legacy of environmental violence, destruction and pollution that undermines Alaska Native culture, peace and health in the area.