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3w ago

U.S. Advances Arctic Drilling and Ambler Road Despite Native Divisions

Tribal coalitions warn the developments threaten salmon stocks, jeopardizing centuries-old subsistence practices.

Residents ride all-terrain vehicles on the dusty streets of Kwethluk, Alaska, on June 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Crosses are seen at the Ridgecrest Memorial Cemetery in Bethel, Alaska, on June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
Sophie Swope, executive director of the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, poses for a portrait on the banks of the Kuskokwim River in Bethel, Alaska, on June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Thiessen)
FILE - With the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in the background, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin speaks during a news conference at the Pump Station 1 on Monday, June 2, 2025, located near Deadhorse, Alaska, on the state's North Slope. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Overview

  • Congress has approved four new oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and additional leases in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska to expand resource extraction.
  • The administration is advancing the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project, proposing a 200-mile road through protected wilderness to open new mineral sites.
  • Supporters, including regional Native corporations, say the projects will bring jobs and revenue, while tribal coalitions warn they threaten subsistence traditions.
  • Severe fishing restrictions on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers remain in place after a salmon population collapse, fueling fears that any spill could devastate stocks.
  • Partnerships between private companies and Alaska Native corporations have led to clashes with indigenous shareholders over ecological risks and land stewardship.