Ambler Road

The Ambler Road is the common name for the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project—a proposed industrial haul road that would connect the Dalton Highway to the area around the Ambler Mining District, allowing for future mining projects in the area. The project is being managed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA)—Alaska's state-owned economic development authority. It has been the subject of controversy due to its potential impact on the environment and regional communities.

In April 2024, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) issued a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, evaluating the project's potential impact on the environment and nearby communities. The BLM selected the "no action" alternative, effectively halting the project.

History


The Ambler Mineral Belt contains valuable deposits of copper, cobalt, and other minerals. After access to the area by rail or barge was determined to be unfeasible, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities began working toward building a road. This project was transferred to AIDEA in 2013.

The 1980 Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act required the National Park Service to grant right-of-way access through Gates of the Arctic National Park to a road providing access to the Ambler Mining District. However, as the proposed road would have to pass through areas managed by the BLM, it was still subject to environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

On February 11, 2020, Ambler Metals LLC was formed to pursue mining projects in the Ambler Mining District. The company is a joint venture between Trilogy Metals and South32, with each company holding a 50% stake.

In 2020, the BLM released its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposal, selecting AIDEA's proposed 211-mile route as its preferred alternative. This conclusion was challenged in court by environmental and tribal groups, leading the BLM to begin work on a broader Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) that would address shortcomings in the initial EIS.

In October 2023, Doyon, Limited announced that it would not renew its land-use agreement with AIDEA once it expired in April 2024, blocking access to 10-12 miles of two potential routes for the Ambler Road, as well as gravel pits needed for road construction. This action was due at least in part to a dispute between Doyon and AIDEA regarding a separate project.

The Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement was released in late 2023 and concluded that 66 communities would see their subsistence practices negatively impacted by the project instead of the 27 included in the initial EIS. The SEIS was finalized in April of 2024, with the BLM this time selecting "no action" as its preferred alternative. This decision was announced at the same time as new restrictions on development within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska were finalized. BLM's decision drew criticism from industry groups, the Alaska state government, and Alaska's congressional delegation.

NANA Regional Corporation announced in May 2024 that it would not renew its land use agreement with AIDEA. NANA stated that it disagreed with AIDEA's management of the Ambler Road project, but continued to support future mine development and would maintain its partnership with Ambler Metals.

In June 2024, Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan added a rider to the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act that would require the BLM to grant the Ambler Access Project right-of-way within 30 days of the act's passage, citing national security interests.

Arguments against the project
Opponents of the project have cited the potential negative impacts on the regional environment, culture, and subsistence practices from the road itself and subsequent mining projects. There has a been a particular focus on potential disruptions of caribou migration patterns, as well as the impact on rivers, wetlands, fisheries and fish populations from any future releases of mining waste. There has also been concern that the road could be opened to the public—as happened with the Dalton Highway—potentially allowing outside hunters and bootleggers to more easily access the region.

A group of regional residents called Protect the Kobuk has organized opposition to the road in the Northwest Arctic Borough.

In addition to Protect the Kobuk, several notable organizations have publicly opposed the project, including the Tanana Chiefs Conference, the Sierra Club, the Center for American Progess, and numerous other environmental and Alaska Native organizations.

Arguments for the project
Supporters of the Ambler Access Project have cited its potential to bring jobs and economic growth to the region. They have also pointed out that the minerals that could be extracted from the Ambler Region would aid the nation's transition to clean energy and electric vehicles. Supporters have warned that if mining projects in the United States are blocked, the same minerals will have to be sourced from countries with weaker protections for human rights and the environment.

Supporters include Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy and Alaska's three members of Congress—Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, and Mary Peltola. The project is also supported by mining industry groups, some Alaska Native groups, and the Northwest Arctic and North Slope borough governments.