Biden administration raises concerns about proposed road in Alaska impacting Native communities and wildlife
The Biden administration has issued a finding stating that a road critical to operating a proposed open-pit mine in a remote part of Alaska could pose a significant threat to Alaska Native communities and their way of life. The finding by the Interior Department is not a final decision on the fate of Ambler Road, but it presents a setback for the planned transportation corridor that would run through one of the largest roadless areas in the country.
The road, originally approved under former President Donald Trump, was suspended by the Biden administration last year due to “significant deficiencies” in the prior environmental review. The latest draft analysis has revealed that 66 communities could be affected by the road, an increase from the previous analysis released in 2020. Nearly half of these communities could face significant impacts. The review also updated the potential effects of the road on caribou and fish.
The presence of a road would alter subsistence-style living activities, affecting wildlife behavior and bisecting travel routes used by hunters. It would also fragment wildlife habitat, potentially disrupting the movement and migration of caribou and other animals. With caribou populations already under stress from other development and climate change, the road could further impact calving and survival rates.
The Interior Department’s Alaska state director, Steve Cohn, emphasized the importance of continued public input and engagement on the draft analysis to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the proposed road’s potential impacts.
The findings of the draft analysis have raised further questions about the project, with many environmental groups opposing it and administration officials expressing concerns. A final analysis is expected to be published by the administration next spring, followed by a subsequent final decision.
The mining venture Ambler Metals, which would benefit from the road, has stated that it will review the findings. The company argues that the project is necessary to support U.S. national security and clean-energy technology in the face of climate change.
Mining advocates have criticized the new review for factoring in potential impacts from public use of the road, even though the current proposal does not include public access. The analysis acknowledges that public use and trespass are reasonably expected and should be considered.
The proposed road has gained support from some locals but faces opposition from national park advocates who are concerned about its potential impact on unspoiled tundra, caribou migration paths, and national parks such as Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and Kobuk Valley National Park.
Alex Johnson, Arctic and Interior Alaska campaign director for the National Parks Conservation Association, expressed support for the Biden administration’s careful examination of the project’s costs. Johnson also voiced skepticism about the mining companies’ claims regarding viable amounts of critical minerals in the region and the project’s potential to permanently alter one of the last remaining wild landscapes on Earth.