President Donald J. Trump has approved the appeal by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA), directing his Administration to immediately issue all necessary authorizations for the establishment of the Ambler Road Project. The decision, which overturns the Biden Administration’s 2024 rejection of the plan, is aimed at advancing the Administration’s energy dominance agenda and securing domestic critical mineral supplies.
The Ambler Road Project is a proposed 211-mile industrial road that would connect the Dalton Highway to Alaska’s remote Ambler Mining District. The District is characterized as one of the largest undeveloped copper-zinc mineral belts in the world, holding extensive deposits of copper, silver, gold, lead, and strategic metals, including cobalt, gallium, and germanium.
Unlocking America’s Critical Minerals
The President’s decision finds that the road is in the public interest, citing the nation’s need for access to domestic critical minerals and the lack of an economically feasible and prudent alternative route.
The decision specifically directs the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reissue the necessary permits to construct the road, which has been held up for years due to protracted litigation.
In a related move, the U.S. government is announcing a partnership with Trilogy Metals, investing $35.6 million to support mining exploration in the Ambler Mining District. This investment makes the U.S. government a 10% shareholder in Trilogy Metals and includes warrants to purchase an additional 7.5% of the company.
The Administration views the project as “vitally important to America’s national defense and economic prosperity.”
Ensuring American Prosperity and Economic Growth
The road is considered crucial for unlocking the mineral resources located in this currently-inaccessible area, providing essential surface transportation access for the more than 1,700 active mining claims in the District.
Construction of the road is projected to directly support 2,730 jobs, driving income, spending, and economic growth in rural Alaska. Additionally, Alaska is projected to receive more than $1.1 billion in revenues from mining license tax revenues, corporate income taxes, production royalties, and claim rents associated with this project.
The plan includes extensive mitigation measures, such as caribou protection policies and fish passage culverts, to minimize environmental impacts.
President Trump continues to prioritize economic growth and national security, delivering where Democrats have failed to harness America’s resources.
The Administration also highlighted recent executive actions supporting domestic resource development:
- Immediately upon returning to office, President Trump signed an Executive Order to unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential, including advancing the Ambler Access Road Project.
- The Trump Administration has streamlined permitting, cutting project approval times to boost domestic industry and infrastructure.
- In March, President Trump signed an Executive Order to boost American critical mineral production.
- In April, President Trump launched a Section 232 investigation into the national security risks posed by U.S. reliance on imported processed critical minerals and their derivative products.
- In June, President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to foster interagency coordination when funding energy and critical mineral projects to better prioritize the use of taxpayer funds and end wasteful duplicative processes.
