Ambler Road and a Federal Stake: What Happened in Alaska

On October 6, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that cleared the way for construction of the Ambler Access Road, a proposed 211-mile industrial route across northwestern Alaska that would connect the Dalton Highway to the Ambler mining district. The order instructed federal agencies to reissue permits that had been rescinded, and it has been presented as part of a broader push to secure domestic supplies of copper, cobalt and other critical minerals needed for clean energy and defense supply chains.

At the same time, the federal government invested $35.6 million and took a 10% stake in Trilogy Metals, with warrants that could raise the government's holding by about 7.5% more if exercised. Supporters argue that the road and investment will foster jobs and reduce reliance on imports, while critics emphasize the risks to subsistence hunting, fisheries and fragile tundra ecosystems. The balance between economic development and environmental protection is being debated in courts and in public forums.

A federal environmental review found the proposed route would cross roughly 3,000 streams and could harm the Western Arctic caribou herd and salmon runs, and it noted permafrost damage that might be difficult to reverse. If the construction proceeds through sensitive habitats, legal challenges and close scrutiny of mitigation plans are likely to follow, and federal agencies will be asked to show how they plan to monitor impacts over time.

Local responses have been mixed: some tribal councils, including the Kobuk Tribal Council, have passed resolutions supporting the project for jobs and revenue, while other Indigenous groups and conservation organizations remain strongly opposed. The coming months will likely bring further permit actions, company filings and court decisions that will shape whether and how the project moves forward.