On Wednesday night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to advance the Ambler Access Project—a 211-mile road that would cut through pristine Alaskan wilderness to reach a proposed copper and zinc mine.
The vote was the latest in a long-running battle over the road. The first Trump administration issued a federal permit for the project in 2020, but the Biden administration suspended it last year, saying the road would threaten wildlife and Alaska Native Tribes that rely on the area for hunting and fishing.
Not only would the road cut through Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, but it would also disrupt the migratory path of tens of thousands of caribou, and runoff from the mine could pollute key spawning grounds for salmon. Many Alaska Natives rely on caribou and salmon as key food sources.
“Caribou are kind of the biggest flashpoint because we’ve had a heck of a lot of population decline already, but we’ve also had a pretty scary lack of salmon over the last two summers,” said China Kantner, a member of Protect the Kobuk, an advocacy group of local residents opposed to the road.
According to the New York Times, the Senate is expected to pass the same resolution in the coming weeks, and President Trump has indicated he will sign it into law.
Quick hits
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Public lands management plans at risk in Congress
Wyoming appeases stockgrowers, shrinks protected pronghorn migration corridor
White House orders agencies to escalate fight against offshore wind
New York Times | Washington Post
Trump says America’s oil industry is cleaner than other countries’, but new data shows massive emissions from Texas wells
Dozens of scientists find errors in a new Energy Department climate report
Humanity is rapidly depleting water and much of the world is getting drier
Colorado National Monument launches first of its kind mental health program
Quote of the day
Groundwater will become the most important natural resource in the world’s drying regions. We need to carefully protect it.”
—Jay Famiglietti, hydrologist and professor at Arizona State University, Los Angeles Times
Picture This
Behind the scenes in Yellowstone, horses and mules play a vital role in keeping the park running. From ranger patrols and trail work to hauling gear for research, these hardworking animals make it all possible.
With support from @YNPForever, we’re working to maintain a healthy herd by purchasing new stock and giving older animals a well-deserved retirement. This helps reduce the average “working life” of stock to 14 years—keeping them healthier and minimizing injuries.
(Featured image: Thunder Valley, a remote part of the Brooks Range in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. Paxson Woelber, Wikimedia Commons)