211 Mile Ambler Road Through The Brooks Range Approved

[nwmein199]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambler_Road

https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-approves-ambler-road-project-to-unlock-alaskas-mineral-potential/

https://www.themeateater.com/conservation/public-lands-and-waters/what-the-ambler-road-approval-means-for-hunters-and-anglers

https://alaskapublic.org/news/politics/washington-d-c/2025-10-23/trump-administration-re-approves-ambler-road-corridor

[cjjcb]

So after the road is complete, the plan appears to be to build multiple open-pit mines. Even putting aside for a moment the "actual" and "potential" environmental impacts of just building/maintaining the road, contemplate the "actual" and "potential" negative impacts of having just one open pit mine, let alone multiples...We all know accidents will happen. if this goes through, don't kid yourselves, they will be taking a huge dump on the whole region with negative impacts that will have to be dealt with for a very long time. 

[pd]

Build the road.  Build out our industrial infrastructure.  Reduce dependency on hostile nations.

Implement strict environmental oversight.  Mitigate damage.  Hold negligent parties accountable.

What is the problem with this?

[Houndhunter]

  We need resources now more then ever!

[10thmountainarcher]

The problem is, most mining companies are owned by foreign entities…

[Houndhunter]

The problem is, most mining companies are owned by foreign entities…

Australia and Canada for Ambler, do you see a problem with those two countries funding?

[10thmountainarcher]

The problem is, most mining companies are owned by foreign entities…

Australia and Canada for Ambler, do you see a problem with those two countries funding?

I’m not certain the negative impacts of this project will be worth it. This was discussed on meateater radio live the other day. It sounds like the road will be closed to the public and used for transporting ore.

[nwmein199]

Build the road.  Build out our industrial infrastructure.  Reduce dependency on hostile nations.

Implement strict environmental oversight.  Mitigate damage.  Hold negligent parties accountable.

What is the problem with this?

That is a great idea but the problem the reality is that there is no strict environmental oversight, damage is not mitigated, and negligent parties are not held accountable. Open pit mines have a proven record of having devastating effects environmental effects that are not mitigated or any parties ever held accountable.

How is the foreign owned LLC going to be held accountable once the companies dissolve the LLC after they extract resources, move those resources out of the US, and leave a huge mess?
Will the foreign companies running the LLC give the US the resources they extract?

[Houndhunter]

Regarding foreign companies not selling back the resource, most the refining is going to have to be done internationally by foreign companies no matter who is responsible for taking the ore out of the ground and with no offtakes signed yet I don't see how it's even a valid argument yet.

I do see the concern with holding a foreign investor accountable for any long term problems, leaving a big mess, but your implying things that haven't happened yet. I guess I can dive into the two mining companies to see about there "track record" but I think if anyone is going to be held responsible for it's mining practices it's going to be happen here in the USA.

[Chesapeake]

The greatest treasure America has is our wilderness and undeveloped public lands. Its the greatest treasure we will ever have. Once you develop the land you cant go back. Development, any development, is destruction.

Sure, some development needs to happen, but is it worth the cost? Id say no. 

[bearpaw]

Build the road.  Build out our industrial infrastructure.  Reduce dependency on hostile nations.

Implement strict environmental oversight.  Mitigate damage.  Hold negligent parties accountable.

What is the problem with this?

  agreed

[dwils233]

Build the road.  Build out our industrial infrastructure.  Reduce dependency on hostile nations.

Implement strict environmental oversight.  Mitigate damage.  Hold negligent parties accountable.

What is the problem with this?

That is a great idea but the problem the reality is that there is no strict environmental oversight, damage is not mitigated, and negligent parties are not held accountable. Open pit mines have a proven record of having devastating effects environmental effects that are not mitigated or any parties ever held accountable.

How is the foreign owned LLC going to be held accountable once the companies dissolve the LLC after they extract resources, move those resources out of the US, and leave a huge mess?
Will the foreign companies running the LLC give the US the resources they extract?

Bingo. I'm not anti-miner or anti-mining, but I also don't have rose-colored lenses about the industry and how they frequently operate- They get theirs and leave everyone else holding the bag for the consequences, again and again, without the Government ever being able to stop that from happening. What would make this different?

[nwmein199]

https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/legal-filing-challenges-trump-approval-of-ambler-mining-road-through-national-preserve-2026-01-23/

"Groups originally sued the Trump administration in 2020 for illegally approving the proposed road. Trustees filed their opening brief with the court in December 2021, but the court never ruled on the merits of the case. Instead, the Department of the Interior asked the court to allow it to address several legal errors and prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement. The lawsuit was paused during that process.
In 2024 the U.S. Bureau of Land Management determined that the proposed Ambler road’s impacts to communities, food resources, and the land would be too significant and denied the requested right-of-way across BLM lands. The agency took into account the numerous communities and community members along the road corridor who expressed their concerns and strong opposition to the project.
Despite those concerns, the Trump administration reinstated the permits in October 2025, with agencies making no effort to fix the original legal problems or address the major harmful impacts"

Public funds used to build a private road for a foreign mining company that the US government has a 10% stake in does not sit right with me at all.