“This order is so atrocious, it’s nearly unbelievable. Nothing has changed in terms of impacts of this destructive road, or the thousands of Alaskans and hundreds of thousands of Americans who are opposed to it" -- NPCA's Jim Adams
WASHINGTON – In a fact sheet and live announcement from the White House today, the Trump administration called for prompt approval to establish the 211-mile Ambler mining road, through America’s largest national park landscape.
“This order is so atrocious, it’s nearly unbelievable,“ said National Parks Conservation Association Senior Alaska Director Jim Adams. "Nothing has changed in terms of impacts of this destructive road, or the thousands of Alaskans and hundreds of thousands of Americans who are opposed to it. Let there be no mistake. We will continue to fight this with everything we have. And so will our partners from across the country, including those who live closest to the region, its waterways, wildlife, and national parks that will be forever destroyed if this disastrous road moves forward.”
Alongside local, Tribal and national partners, NPCA has long argued that the ecological, economic and social impacts to the lands and communities of Alaska’s Brooks Range far outweighed any speculative benefits from this proposed mining project.
Gates of the Arctic: Scenes from a Park at a Crossroads
By bush plane, canoe and dog sled, a traveler experiences the priceless landscape threatened by the proposed Ambler mining road.
See more ›Economic reports related to the viability of the road as well as examinations of the impacts from other large-scale mines in Alaska prove time and again, the Ambler mining road is too costly for the irreplaceable region. And A 2023 national wildlife poll found that 87% of Americans support protecting wildlife such as caribou in national park lands in northwest Alaskan from mining development threats. The Ambler mining road that would slice through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and threatens the Western Arctic Caribou herd.
In June of 2024, following an extensive analysis and after hearing from people across the nation, the Department of Interior halted permitting for the Ambler road, effectively protecting the park landscape, water, wildlife and communities from irreparable harm for generations to come. During the public process, advocates submitted over 116,000 comments opposing the road. In its final environmental review, the agency made clear that threats from the proposed mining road were too great to allow 211-mile private industrial road’s permits to remain in place.
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About the National Parks Conservation Association: Since 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has been the leading voice in safeguarding our national parks. NPCA and its more than 1.9 million members and supporters work together to protect and preserve our nation’s most iconic and inspirational places for future generations. For more information, visit www.npca.org.
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