Trump Just Gutted The Wildest Public Land In America

On October 6, in a typically Trumpian statement full of blustering bullshittery, the Whitehouse issued a statement shocking public lands advocates across the nation: “President Donald J. Trump Approves Ambler Road Project to Unlock Alaska’s Mineral Potential.”¹ On the surface, it’s a simple statement with a seemingly straightforward directive, but this is no run-of-the-mill post office naming or local bridge replacement. It’s a massive surprise reversal of a buttoned-up federal permitting decision from 2024 that denied construction of a long-haul mining road after following the legal process, the best science, and mandated agency procedure.

The highly controversial 211-mile Ambler Road, proposed in northwest Alaska, is a massive industrial project that would plow straight through the heart of the Brooks Range, which is among the most ecologically sensitive and culturally important wildlands left on the planet. Trump’s bumbling demand to bulldoze and industrialize this public land despite broad-based opposition is a long, rusty shiv in the side of wildlife, native people, hunters, anglers, and all Americans who value wild places.

The Republican President’s October 6 statement on Ambler is shocking for many reasons, first because the resulting ecological devastation would be so broad. Travis Hall summarized the impacts in his recent article in the outdoor publication Field and Stream:

The rivers and streams that the Ambler Road would cross provide important feeding, rearing, spawning, and overwintering habitat for more than 20 fish species, including Pacific salmon, sheefish, whitefish, northern pike, Arctic grayling, and burbot, the BLM states. In addition to the 11 major bridge crossings, the Ambler Road would bisect hundreds of unnamed tributaries with thousands of culverts—which are known to damage undisturbed fish habitat.

The road would also penetrate crucial habitat areas for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd. Though the herds numbers have declined in recent years, it still supports one of the Alaska best remaining DIY hunts for out-of-state caribou hunters.²

Charging forward with the industrial project is also shocking because of the vast coalition of Americans who worked for years to oppose its construction. During the mandated comment period leading up to the BLM denial decision last year, 89 separate Native American tribes and First Nations groups submitted, often vehement, public statements of opposition, which are noted in the BLM decision. “The proposed road corridor traverses areas used by local residents for berry picking and vegetation gathering; waterfowl and moose hunting; and overland and over-water transportation. Many local residents have communicated the importance of the area in maintaining their mental, spiritual, and cultural well-being.”

I worked in the outdoor industry for two decades, and I know that getting companies to take public stances is challenging; yet, more than 80 outdoor companies issued letters opposing the project. Additionally, 135,000 Americans submitted letters or provided public testimony in opposition. During the twelve publicly held meetings throughout Alaska to gauge local sentiment, more than 82 percent of the public comments were strongly in opposition.³

Add to all of this the shock of the destruction of iconic isolated ecosystems that span so many different landscapes. Hall’s article summarizes many of the impacts, including industrializing a U.S. National Wildlife Refuge managed by the National Park Service):

In its 2024 Record of Decision (ROD), the BLM said there will be “irreparable harm” to permafrost and caribou herds in the region if the Ambler Road goes through. According to the agency, the road would pass through public lands managed by the BLM, the National Park Service (Gates of the Arctic National Preserve), and the state of Alaska. It will also enter land owned and managed by multiple Alaskan tribes.

Given the risks to wildlife and obvious human opposition, you might ask, “Gosh, why in the world would the Republicans and President Trump opt for such an evil, destructive action?” Well, my fellow citizen, the answer is twofold and not at all shocking. This decree is rooted first in vindictiveness, and Trump admitted as much in his press event announcing the decision. “Biden undid it and wasted a lot of time and a lot of money, a lot of effort. And now we’re starting again. And this time we have plenty of time to get it done.”

But the real reason is greed. Trump called Ambler a “gold mine,” but if there are minerals to be mined, most will be copper, a mineral not in short supply. The copper that is mined will be shipped to China for processing.⁴ The remaining minerals will be owned by Triogy Metals, the previously unknown foreign mining company set to reap massive profits. Of course, Trilogy has close contacts in the Trump administration who undoubtedly all had advance inside information about this move. And … shocker... Trilogy Metals, the unknown company with the stock symbol TMQ, “exploded” in value after the announcement.⁵

That sound you hear is the intolerable cackling flock of Republican billionaires in the Whitehouse, laughing at the rest of us as they sell our country and pad their portfolios with that well-timed buy of TMQ.

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