GOP Targets Environmental Groups Over $9 Billion Oil Project (1)

House Republicans have launched an investigation into six environmental organizations over their opposition to a $9 billion oil project developed by ConocoPhillips in Alaska.

In letters made public Friday to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Defenders of Wildlife and other conservation groups, lawmakers said they were concerned about “coordination with other activist special interest groups” as well as the use of “lawfare strategies, including ethically dubious sue and settle tactics.”

The probe follows unsuccessful legal efforts to halt ConocoPhillips’ Willow project, which is expected to produce about 600 million barrels of crude over 30 years, with production set ...