Alaska Soles • Entered by Loren Karro on May 2, 2023
No Road to Ambler research
April 11, 2023
Participants and Hours
| Pre Planning hours | |
| Post Admin hours | |
| Activity Hours | 3 |
| Participants | 1 |
| Total Hours | 3 |
Key Issue: Oil, Gas, or Mineral Development
Activity Type: Trainings (WALTS, CAREs/GLOWs, research, conferences, workshops, etc.)
Key Partners: No Road to Ambler coalition
Landscape/area: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Short Description of Activity
Read up on newest work on proposed road to Ambler mining district; AIDEA moving ahead on work despite no rights of way yet.
Reflection/Evaluation
Met by phone with the No Road to Ambler Coalition and then joined the badAIDEA Coalition. With very little control over what AIDEA spends state money on, and no meaningful legislative oversight, it is hard to control this effort. The road would go from the ‘Haul Road’ (Dalton Highway) to the mining district near the village of Ambler, paid for by state monies and supposedly paid back by tolls for usage. None of the mining companies even have any permits yet but AIDEA is going ahead with this road, which will cross the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, native lands, state lands and some BLM lands. AN easement through the Alaska Refuge is specifically allowed under a section of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA). It will be hard to stop this project, especially as although many of the native village organizations are against it, NANA (Northwest Arctic Native Association, the northwest arctic regional native corporation formed under ANCSA) is behind it for purely economic reasons. We have commented on this project in the past, both ‘in person’ via phone and written comments.