Ambler Road Project Receives Key Approval
That will, in turn, mean good jobs for Alaskans and revenues for our state. I appreciate BLM’s years of work to complete federal permitting for this project, but not all work on it is finished. As the project moves forward, I encourage the developer to fully engage with local landowners to reach agreement on necessary rights-of- way and to coordinate with local communities to avoid impacts so this project can become a reality.” “The prospect of hundreds of good-paying jobs, from the Ambler road and resulting projects, in Northwest Alaska is good news for the incredible, hardworking Alaskans who live in this region,” said U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (AK). “As I’ve consistently said, the proposed infrastructure and projects have to be done right, with due consideration for preserving the environment and with input from the communities in the area. I am appreciative of the Department of Interior’s close consultation with Alaskans and community leaders over many months and years, and the hard work and consideration that led to this historic decision.” “Minerals are critical to countless items we use every day. From computers and batteries, to building materials and other consumer products, we must ensure that Alaska is leading the way in responsible mining,” said U.S. Representative Don Young (AK-At large). “I am proud that the Ambler Road project is making great progress, and I look forward to seeing the positive economic impacts that will come from its construction. I encourage the developer to engage and collaborate with communities in the area to ensure that the construction of this road goes smoothly and is finished in a timely manner. I am grateful to everyone at BLM whose hard work has helped facilitate the federal permitting process, and I will continue working to ensure Alaska’s miners have the infrastructure needed to succeed.” Along its route, 26 miles of the road will pass through the Gates of the Arctic National Park Kobuk Preserve and the easternmost 25 miles of the road cross BLM land. The proposed road would primarily cross state lands, in addition to Alaska Native corporation lands and Federal lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Park Service (NPS). The Record of Decision by the BLM and USACE selects an alternative that is the most direct route from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District. The selected route is the environmentally preferred alternative, having the smallest footprint at just under 4,500 acres, having the least impact on wetlands and spanning the shortest distance from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler Mining District. The Final Environmental Impact Statement published March 27, 2020, included a suite of mitigation measures that are adopted in the Record of Decision and will be included in the
subsequent right-of-way permit. The state of Alaska began to identify and evaluate overland routes in 2009 and assigned the project to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) in 2013. Access to the road will be controlled, without public access and primarily limited to mining- related industrial uses. “Nearly 40 years after Congress guaranteed access to the Ambler Mining District, today’s decision allows AIDEA to move forward with the planning of a project that could create thousands of Alaskan jobs and a new source of revenue for the benefit all Alaskans,” said Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy. “I thank President Trump and Secretary Bernhardt for recognizing the importance of domestically sourcing the minerals needed to power our nation’s renewable energy revolution.” AIDEA estimates the creation of an annual average of 766 jobs (direct, indirect and induced) during road construction and up to 141 full-time jobs over the lifespan of the road. They also expect many positive impacts to flow from the road’s construction, including: n The development of a major mining district partially owned by NANA, an Alaska Native Corporation, that will create over 65,000 jobs, generating over $5 billion in wages, and over $1.3 billion in local and state revenues over the life of the mines; n Additional access that could be used for emergency response and fiber optic infrastructure improving telecommunications in remote communities; and n Lower costs for fuel and other community goods and services as needed supplies are trucked into roadside staging areas rather than flown in or delivered by barge. Background In 1980, Congress passed the ANILCA, recognizing the mineral potential in the Ambler Mining District (District) and the need for transportation access. AIDEA is pursuing construction of an industrial access road consistent with its mission to increase job opportunities and encourage Alaska’s economic growth, including development of natural resources. Specifically, AIDEA’s purpose for this project is to support mineral resource exploration and development in the Ambler Mining District. The road would provide surface transportation access to the District and allow for expanded exploration, mine development, and mine operations at mineral prospects throughout the District. President Trump’s Executive Order 13817, issued on December 20, 2017, A Federal Strategy to Ensure Secure and Reliable Supplies of Critical Minerals, establishes as Federal policy the need to identify new sources of critical minerals and take measures for their development.
www.alaskaminers.org I The Alaska Miner I August 2020
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