ConocoPhillips decision for estimated $8B North Slope energy development comes four days after U.S. appeals court rejected opponents' latest plea to stop $900M of winter construction work now underway.
ConocoPhillips pauses work on project, cut from five planned drilling pads to three, after opponents filed suit for a preliminary injunction; the Interior Dept. also will propose new limits on protected Arctic region energy development.
New environmental review of ConocoPhillips' Willow project on North Slope federal land cites options to build as proposed, reduce overall scope or extend timeline for drill sites; Sen. Murkowski presses for project start
Energy giant could appeal ruling, but it would force environmental re-analysis of the Willow project on the North Slope, which could delay major work by two years or more.
