"Federal Judge Gives Green Light to Controversial Alaska Oil Project, Defying Environmentalists"

A federal court, presided over by Judge Sharon Gleason, an Obama-appointed judge, has dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental advocacy groups challenging the approval of the Willow oil drilling project in Alaska. The ruling clears the way for ConocoPhillips to proceed with the construction of the project, which is expected to produce 576 million barrels of crude oil over its 30-year lifespan. While environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers have criticized the project as a "carbon bomb" that would accelerate global warming, the court ruled that the federal government had properly conducted its environmental analysis. The decision is likely to be appealed by the coalition of plaintiffs.