On Monday, despite widespread Alaskan, Tribal, and national opposition to the proposed 211-mile mining road through Gates of the Arctic National Preserve and across the southern Brooks Range, the President ordered approval of a proposed Ambler Road in Northwest Alaska.
The road project was approved in the first Trump administration, but was later blocked by the Biden administration after permitting agencies determined that the project would be too harmful to caribou and other wildlife.
AWA joined the litigative fight against the Ambler Road five years ago, concerned that the project would cut through federal public lands in the Gates of the Arctic National Preserve for the sole purpose of giving private mining companies access to undisturbed regions for hard rock mining. The road would expose critical watersheds to pollution, fragment caribou herd migrations, threaten critical bird habitat, and put stress on moose populations along the Koyukuk, Kobuk Wild, Alatna, and John Rivers.
"The Alaska Wildlife Alliance believes in sustainable development, and has supported projects that have adequate risk assessment, mitigation, and an environmental ethos that considers the health of future generations. This is not one of those projects." - Nicole Schmitt, Director of AWA
This week's announcement was paired with other disconcerting news-- In addition to pushing for the Ambler Road, the federal government is making a direct investment in Trilogy Metals, the foreign-owned corporation looking to mine the Ambler district. After widespread opposition from Alaskans during the environmental review process, it’s adding insult to injury to have this project pushed through to benefit a foreign company.
AWA will continue to work with partners around the state and country to defend the Brooks Range, especially the communities most affected by the road:
“I want to save something for our future. I’ve seen crashes of caribou, of the salmon. Most communities don’t even know what king salmon tastes like anymore. If we as a human race can just stop for a minute and look at how important things around us are and how we don't have to go through waste of things anymore. We should show more respect.” - Chief Julia Roberts Hyslop, Tanana Tribal Council
“My tribal members say no to the road. The Alatna River is our homelands, our food and our gathering area. The pipeline came through and then the haul road. That’s when we stopped seeing the caribou. Before then they were migrating in the fall and spring through our village.” - Chief Harding Sam, Alatna
“There is no evidence of significant critical minerals in the area. Ultimately the materials that are mined will likely be going to China and they will be the ones to benefit and there will be very few jobs for Alaska Natives." "The Evansville Tribal Council has a standing resolution in opposition to the industrial Ambler Road. We’ve been fighting this road since 2013. It'll change the Brooks Range to the last great wilderness. In all of North America, and perhaps the Western Hemisphere. This is the last undeveloped place in North America." Chief Frank Thompson, Evansville
