The Biden administration has taken a step closer to approval of a scaled-back version of ConocoPhillips' planned $6 billion Willow oil and gas project in Alaska.
The final environmental review was released by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management BLM, a major last step before issuing a final decision.
The agency chose a preferred alternative that would allow the oil and gas company to build three drill sites, according to the document. ConocoPhillips had initially proposed to build up to five drill sites, dozens of miles of roads, seven bridges, and pipelines.
The Interior Department said that the choice of the preferred alternative was not a final decision on approval of the project, and it had concerns about Willow's impact on greenhouse gas emissions and wildlife.
The fate of the massive Willow project is closely watched by both the oil and gas industry and environmental groups as President Joe Biden seeks to balance his goals of fighting climate change with calls to increase domestic fuel supplies to keep prices down.