Ambler Road Project

The comment period began on Sept. 18, when the Corps published a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Arctic Mine, an open-pit copper, zinc and lead project in the foothills of the Brooks Range.

Ambler Metals, the company behind the proposed open pit copper and zinc mine, has touted local benefits from the project ranging from construction and mining jobs to new infrastructure and even lower fuel prices.

The U.S. House debated the resolution today and is expected to vote on it this afternoon.

In a press release from the department, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum called the transfer a clear example of the Trump administration delivering on its promises. Burgum said the move cuts federal red tape, reduces barriers to resource development and puts land into Alaska Native hands.

Rob Rosenfeld, a consultant for several tribes that oppose the project, believes the Corps dragged its feet and should have killed the 404 permitting after the Biden administration rejected the project in June. Rosenfeld said the Corps' inaction went against the wishes of 88 tribal governments that oppose the project.

This withdrawal follows a decision last month from the Biden administration to choose a “no action” alternative on key permitting documents — which essentially stopped the project from moving forward. Alaska’s congressional delegation criticized the decision.

About 70 people turned out for an at times emotional Bureau of Land Management meeting in Kotzebue earlier this month. Many shared concerns over the controversial Ambler Road project, a proposed 211-mile industrial road that would branch off west from the Dalton Highway.

A Northwest Arctic regional subsistence group voted to oppose the Ambler Road project. That’s the controversial 200-mile industrial corridor that would stretch west from the Dalton Highway to gain access to a region speculated to have high concentrations of copper and other metals.

According to a press release from BLM, the S-EIS evaluated potential subsistence impacts to 66 communities, more than two times as many as were identified in a previous assessment.

The Northwest Arctic and North Slope boroughs passed a joint resolution earlier this month supporting the Ambler Road Project. If completed, the road would span more than 211 miles, from the Dalton Highway west to a mining region just south of the Brooks Range.But many residents of the Northwest Arctic say their voices are not being heard.