President Biden moved to block future oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean’s federal waters, part of a sweeping plan to protect 16 million acres of land and water in Alaska.

Sunday’s announcement comes as the administration is preparing to approve the massive Willow oil-drilling project in the Alaskan Arctic over the objections of environmentalists and many Democrats who wanted the project scuttled, according to people familiar with the matter.

The limits apply to future leases and wouldn’t stop ConocoPhillips’s Willow project from moving forward. The company has held key oil and gas leases in the region for years.

Biden Declares U.S. Arctic Ocean Off Limits to New Oil and Gas Leasing – WSJ