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Giant Open-Pit Mine Near Two National Parks Dealt A Blow By Biden DOI

"Road planned to access the mine could affect more Alaska Native communities and local animals than previously thought, according to a new federal analysis".

"A road critical to operating a proposed open-pit mine in a remote part of Alaska hit a new hurdle Friday when the Biden administration issued a finding that the road could threaten Alaska Native communities and their lifestyle more than previously estimated.

The Interior Department analysis is not a final decision on the fate of Ambler Road, one of the most high-profile environmental issues in the state. But it poses a setback for a planned 211-mile transportation corridor that would run through one of the largest roadless areas in the country — intersecting Gates of the Arctic National Park — to help a mining company access an estimated $7.5 billion worth of copper north of the Arctic Circle.

Originally approved under former president Donald Trump, the road right-of-way was suspended by the Biden administration last year. The Interior Department said it found “significant deficiencies” in the prior environmental review and ordered additional analysis."

Timothy Puko reports for the Washington Post October 13, 2023.

SEE ALSO:

"New Environmental Analysis Finds Additional Problems With Ambler Road Construction" (Alaska Beacon)

"In Alaska, a Road to Metals Needed for Clean Energy Could Also Cause Harm" (New York Times)
 

Source: Washington Post, 10/16/2023