President Donald Trump signed an order on Monday approving a 211-mile road through Alaska’s wilderness to facilitate mining of copper, cobalt, gold, and other minerals.
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The Ambler Road project, initially greenlit during Trump’s first term, was halted by the Biden administration due to concerns over its impact on caribou, other wildlife, and Alaska Native tribes dependent on hunting and fishing.
At an Oval Office event, Trump described the road and mining project north of Fairbanks as a vital initiative that “should’ve been long operating and making billions of dollars for our country and supplying a lot of energy and minerals.” He criticized former President Joe Biden for blocking it, stating, “undid it and wasted a lot of time and a lot of money, a lot of effort. And now we’re starting again. And this time we have plenty of time to get it done.”
In a related move, the White House revealed a 10% equity stake in Trilogy Metals, a Canadian company partnering with an Australian firm to develop the Ambler site. This follows last week’s announcement of the U.S. government acquiring a 5% stake in Lithium Americas, a Canadian company developing a major lithium mine in Nevada, alongside a 5% stake in its Thacker Pass project with General Motors.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized that the Ambler Road approval will provide access to critical minerals like copper and cobalt, essential “to win the AI arms race against China.” Supporters, including Alaska’s congressional delegation, argue the road is crucial to tap a copper deposit valued at over $7 billion, vital for manufacturing cars, electronics, and renewable energy technologies like wind turbines.
Opponents, including a coalition of 40 federally recognized tribes, fear the project threatens subsistence hunting and fishing due to its impact on salmon and caribou habitats. Karmen Monigold, an Inupiaq member of Protect the Kobuk, expressed her dismay, saying she cried upon hearing of Trump’s decision but added, “And then I reminded myself of who we are, and who our people are and how far we’ve come. They tried to assimilate us, to wipe us out and yet we’re still here. We still matter.” Monigold hopes Alaska Native groups will pursue legal action to stop the project, as they have previously.
The proposed two-lane gravel road would span about 26 miles through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, crossing 11 rivers and thousands of streams to reach the mining site. Last month, the Republican-led House passed a bill to ease mining and drilling on public lands in Alaska and other states, overturning Biden-era land management plans aimed at reducing fossil fuel emissions. Trump’s administration is prioritizing development to boost jobs, revenue, and production of fossil fuels and critical minerals.
Trump’s order deems the road in the public interest, citing the need for domestic critical minerals and the lack of a viable alternative route. It instructs the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reissue permits for the road’s construction.
Tristen Pattee, an Inupiaq environmental technical supervisor at Red Dog zinc mine near Kotzebue, welcomed the decision, saying, “I’m excited for the opportunities that are going to be coming in and all the jobs that will be created. I look forward to them responsibly building the road and making sure it’s operated as permitted.”
Ambler Metals, a joint venture between Trilogy Metals and South32, praised Trump’s action. Managing director Kaleb Froehlich stated, “This road will help secure the critical minerals our country needs for economic competitiveness and national defense, while also delivering meaningful benefits here at home.”
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