Biden just approved an Alaska oil drilling project – here’s why that stinks
The Biden administration said on Monday that it’s approving the Willow oil drilling project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
New oil drilling in Alaska
Biden’s Willow plan will allow three drill sites in the National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska’s North Slope. ConocoPhillips, which is developing the oil drilling project, has said it will include around 219 wells and that it has the potential to produce 180,000 barrels of oil per day.
ConocoPhillips will also give up rights to around 68,000 acres of existing leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The White House did not post an announcement on its website about the Willow decision, but the US Department of the Interior did and framed it as a “substantial reduction” of the scope of a project.
The White House released a statement declaring that oil drilling will be blocked in around 2.8 million acres in the Arctic Sea, and it limits drilling in another 13 million acres of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. It noted that existing leases would not be affected.
The Bureau of Land Management said it “received substantial input from the public, hosting seven public meetings and receiving more than 200,000 written comment submissions during the public comment period.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is in favor of the Willow project in her state, and the senator pinned a tweet with a video that emphasizes indigenous support and anti-Russian oil:
But Grist notes, “Last spring, a monthlong natural gas leak caused by Conoco’s nearby drilling led to hundreds of evacuations and panic in the Alaska Native village of Nuiqsut.”
In response to the Willow decision, Christy Goldfuss, chief policy impact officer at Natural Resources Defense Council, said:
This is a grievous mistake. It green-lights a carbon bomb, sets back the climate fight and emboldens an industry hell-bent on destroying the planet. It’s wrong on climate and wrong for the country.
We will consider every appropriate tool in our continuing fight to stop the Willow climate bomb.
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety, emailed the following statement this morning:
By investing in the fossil-fueled past and not the green-energy future, we are failing frontline environmental justice communities who are bearing the brunt of climate chaos, and American consumers who remain at the whim of rising and volatile prices of oil and gas. I am in solidarity with the community of advocates who oppose this disastrous decision and will continue fighting alongside them to put our people and our planet ahead of the profits of Big Oil.
Electrek’s Take
This is a deeply disappointing decision that flies in the face of all the good the Biden administration has done so far to advance renewables and fight climate change. The bad news about the Willow project is buried within the good news about limiting drilling because they know it’s wrong, so the whole thing is soured.
Willow is going to make climate change worse by adding to the amount of greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere. The NRDC’s Goldfuss put it into perspective by explaining Willow will have “the same yearly carbon footprint of roughly 1.1 million homes – more than are in Chicago.”
The National Petroleum Reserve is home to wildlife, including caribou, grizzly bears, and migratory birds. The Willow oil project is going to disrupt their habitats and cause harm to the ecosystem.
The oil drilling project is also located near the village of Nuiqsut, with a population of around 400 people, most of whom are indigenous. These communities rely on subsistence hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. Who would want to live next to an oil drilling project?
Litigation by environmental groups against this project is pretty much guaranteed. Bring it on.
Read more: Jim Cramer on Joe Biden, green energy, and Big Oil
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Massachusetts is launching a first-of-its-kind statewide vehicle-to-everything (V2X) pilot program. This two-year initiative, backed by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), aims to deploy 100 bidirectional chargers to homes, school buses, municipal, and commercial fleet participants across the state.
These bidirectional chargers will enable EVs to serve as mobile energy storage units, collectively providing an estimated 1.5 MW of new storage capacity. That means EVs won’t just be getting power – they’ll be giving it back to the grid, helping to balance demand and support renewable energy use. The program is also focused on ensuring that low-income and disadvantaged communities have access to this cutting-edge tech.
The Massachusetts pilot is one of the largest state-led V2X initiatives in the US and is designed to tackle key challenges in deploying bidirectional charging technology. By strategically placing these chargers in a variety of settings, the program aims to identify and resolve barriers to wider adoption of V2X technology.
Massachusetts EV owners and fleet operators enrolled in the program will get bidirectional chargers capable of both vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and backup power operations at no cost. Here’s what they stand to gain:
- No-cost charging infrastructure: Bidirectional charging stations and installation are fully covered for participants.
- Grid resilience: With an estimated 1.5 MW of new flexible and distributed storage assets, the program strengthens Massachusetts’ energy infrastructure.
- Clean energy integration: V2G technology allows EVs to charge when renewable energy is available and discharge stored energy when it’s not, supporting the state’s clean energy goals.
- Backup power: EV batteries can be used as backup power sources during outages.
- Revenue opportunities: Some participants can earn money by sending stored energy back to the grid.
Clean energy solutions firm Resource Innovations and vehicle-grid integration tech company The Mobility House are leading the program’s implementation. “With the charging infrastructure provided through this program, we’re eliminating financial barriers and enabling school districts, homeowners, and fleets to access reliable backup power,” said Kelly Helfrich of Resource Innovations. “We aim to create a scalable blueprint for V2X programs nationwide.”
“Bidirectional charging benefits vehicle owners by providing backup power and revenue opportunities while strengthening the grid for the entire community,” added Russell Vare of The Mobility House North America.
The program is open for enrollment now through June 2025. For more details, visit the MassCEC V2X Program webpage. A list of eligible bidirectional vehicles can be found on that page.
Read more: Cambridge’s new solar VPPA is the largest ever by any US city
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Compton, California, has unveiled 25 new electric school buses – the school district’s first – and 25 Tellus 180 kW DC fast chargers.
Compton Unified School District (CUSD) in southern Los Angeles County is putting 17 Thomas Built Type A and eight Thomas Built Type C electric school buses on the road this spring. In addition to working with Thomas Built, CUSD also collaborated with electrification-as-a-service provider Highland Electric Fleet, utility Southern California Edison, and school transportation provider Durham School Services.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean School Bus Program awarded funds for the vehicles in the program’s first round. EPA also awarded CUSD funds for the third round of the program and anticipates introducing an additional 25 EV school buses in the future.
“I can’t stress enough how vital grants like these are and the need for continued support from our partners in government at the state and federal level to fund additional grants for school districts and their transportation partners that are ready to deliver and operate zero-emission buses,” said Tim Wertner, CEO of Durham School Services.
CUSD, which serves Compton and parts of the cities of Carson and Los Angeles, currently serves more than 17,000 students at 36 sites. The district has a high school graduation rate of 93% and an 88% college acceptance rate. One in 11 children in Los Angeles County have asthma, which makes the need for emissions-free school transportation that much more pressing.
Read more: Thomas Built Buses debuts its next-gen electric school bus
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After cutting lease prices by $200 this month, the Rivian R1S is now surprisingly affordable. It may even be a better deal than the new Tesla Model Y.
Rivian cuts R1S lease prices by $200 per month
Rivian’s R1S is one of the hottest electric SUVs on the market. If you haven’t checked it out yet, you’re missing out.
With some of the best deals to date, now may be the time. Rivian lowered R1S lease prices earlier this month to just $599 for 36 months, with $8,493 due at signing (30,000 miles). The offer is for the new 2025 R1S Adventure Dual Standard, which starts at $75,900.
Before the price cut, the R1S was listed at $799 per month, with $8,694 due at signing. The electric SUV now has the same lease price as the R1T, despite costing $6,000 more.
The 2025 R1T Dual Motor starts at $69,900, essentially making it a free $6,000 upgrade. At that price, you may even want to consider it over the new Tesla Model Y.
Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series arrived with lease prices of $699 for 36 months. With $4,393 due at signing, the effective rate is $821 per month, or just $13 less than the R1S at $834. However, the 2025 R1S costs nearly $15,000 more, with the Model Y Launch Series price at $59,990.
Rivian is also offering an “All-Electric Upgrade Offer” of up to $6,000 for those looking to trade-in their gas-powered car, but base models are not included.
| Starting Price | Range (EPA-est.) |
|
| 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard | $75,900 | 270 miles |
| 2026 Tesla Model Y Launch Series | $59,990 | 327 miles |
To take advantage of the Rivian R1S lease deal, you must order it before March 15 and take delivery on or before March 31, 2025.
The 2025 Rivian R1S Dual Standard Motor has an EPA-estimated range of up to 270 miles. Tesla’s new Model Y Launch Series gets up to 327 miles.
Which electric SUV would you choose? Rivian’s R1S or the new Tesla Model Y? If you’re ready to check them out for yourself, you can use our links below to find deals on the Rivian R1S and Tesla Model Y in your area.
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