Last Updated on October 9, 2025
The Trump administration has given final approval to a controversial road project through Alaska’s Brooks Range that promises to connect the Ambler mining district to the state highway system. It’s a decision that has reignited fierce opposition from Alaska Native tribes, environmental groups and some lawmakers who say the costs to ecosystems and communities outweigh any economic gains.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said that approval of the Ambler Road project will unlock access to copper, cobalt and other critical minerals that America needs “to win the AI arms race against China.” But at least 40 federally recognized tribes and dozens of Alaska Native corporations have publicly opposed the plan, because of its potential risks.
In addition to crossing a total of 2,900 streams,1,794 acres of wetlands, and 11 major rivers, the 211-mile road could:
In 2023, the Biden administration temporarily suspended the project’s right-of-way permits, citing deficiencies in tribal consultation and environmental review. That decision was reversed this year after the Trump administration’s return to power.
“This top-down decision is a betrayal of Alaska’s overwhelming local opposition to the project. Ambler Road would threaten salmon streams, caribou migration routes, and the freedom to retain the way of life for Alaska Native communities who have stewarded these lands since time immemorial,” said Alaska State Senior Manager Matt Jackson.
State of Alaska Department of Natural Resources
“Once a road like this is built, the damage can’t be undone. The people of Alaska, and all Americans, must not allow the administration to sacrifice irreplaceable landscapes and one of the most biodiverse places left on Earth for short-term financial profits to a foreign company,” he continued.
The tribal coalition will now likely move to file lawsuits in federal court arguing that the approval process violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). They could also argue that the government failed to adequately consult Indigenous stakeholders.
If the legal challenge proceeds, it could become one of the most consequential tests of tribal sovereignty and environmental law in Alaska in decades.
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