On Friday, the Biden administration revealed two measures to tighten regulations on oil, gas, and mining activities in Alaska. The Department of the Interior (DOI) disclosed its intention to safeguard 28 million acres of Alaskan land from oil and gas exploration, while also confirming its opposition to the Ambler Road project. These actions are part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to restrict mining, oil, and gas operations in Alaska, a state known for its abundant natural resource reserves.
“The Department of the Interior takes seriously our obligations to manage America’s public lands for the benefit of all people. In Alaska, that includes ensuring that we consider the impacts of proposed actions on Alaska Native and rural subsistence users,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said of her agency’s actions. “Guided by feedback from Tribal Nations, Native Corporations and the best-available science, the steps we are taking today ensure these important areas remain intact for generations to come.”
Native American Group Slams Biden Admin’s Move To Limit New Oil Projects In Alaska https://t.co/TKbExoHI9Q
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 20, 2024
The Ambler Road project, as reported by the Department of the Interior, aims to construct a 211-mile long road in Northern Alaska to support a significant mining endeavor in a remote area of the state. This road initiative is viewed as a crucial initial phase for the mine’s future operations, as highlighted in The New York Times.
According to The New York Times, the potential value of the copper and other minerals targeted for extraction through the Ambler Road project could reach into the billions of dollars. The decision to halt the road’s development might pose a challenge to President Joe Biden’s environmental objectives, given that copper is essential for manufacturing items such as wind turbines, power lines, and solar cells.
The recent actions taken on Friday represent the Biden administration’s ongoing efforts to restrict the extraction of natural resources in Alaska. The administration has issued over 50 executive orders affecting the state, including measures to exclude the Arctic Ocean from new oil and gas leasing and to designate a significant portion of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska as “special areas” with restricted or prohibited oil development, as per the Department of the Interior.
