President Donald J. Trump Monday approved the appeal for Alaska’s controversial Ambler Road Project, an action that reverses a 2024 rejection by the Biden administration and directs federal agencies to promptly issue permits for the 211-mile industrial road.
The decision is a significant victory for the state and the mining industry, which argues the road is essential for unlocking vast, currently-inaccessible deposits of critical minerals—such as copper, cobalt, and zinc—vital for national security and the tech industry.
The proposed industrial-use-only road will connect the Dalton Highway to the remote Ambler Mining District in northwest Alaska. In approving the appeal filed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) under Section 1106 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), President Trump asserted that the project is in the public interest for domestic critical mineral access.
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The move was met with immediate and enthusiastic praise from Alaska’s political and business leaders, who framed the decision as a critical step toward economic growth and mineral independence from foreign adversaries.
“This decision will unleash development opportunities, create new jobs for Alaskans and secure access to strategic minerals,” said Governor Mike Dunleavy.
Alaska’s congressional delegation was equally celebratory. Senator Dan Sullivan thanked the President for “rolling back the Biden administration’s egregious and lawless denial” of the project, stating the appeal is “great news for Alaska, for jobs for our workers, for American national security, for reducing our country’s critical mineral dependence on China.”
Senator Lisa Murkowski highlighted the national significance of the project, noting that Congress enshrined the need for access to the mining district into federal law in 1980. “The President’s re-approval will unlock a world-class mining district, deliver quality-of-life benefits for communities in the region, and help grow Alaska’s economy,” she said.
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The mining companies involved in the region also expressed confidence in the future of domestic mineral development. Tony Giardini, President and CEO of Trilogy Metals, called the approval a “landmark decision” and a “turning point” for securing domestic supply chains.
The Ambler Road Project has been a flashpoint for political and environmental controversy. Supporters stress its economic and strategic necessity, while opponents, including a coalition of Alaska Native tribes and environmental groups, warn it would cut through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, disrupting sensitive ecosystems, including caribou migration routes, and threatening the traditional subsistence way of life for local communities.
President Trump’s order directs federal agencies to swiftly reinstate the necessary authorizations, overturning the Biden administration’s 2024 “No Action Alternative” decision. The project’s proponents vow to proceed with environmental and community protections in place, ensuring the road respects “both the land and the people who call it home.”
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