The Biden Administration announced today that after a thorough environmental analysis, it is recommending a “No Action” alternative regarding the Ambler Road Project. Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) believes this is not only the right decision but a meaningful step in honoring our Tribes’ relationships with the land, animals and water, recognizing tribal stewardship, and respecting the rightful place of Indigenous Knowledge in federal decision making.
The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), released in October of 2023, reinforced TCC’s opposition to the proposed Ambler industrial mining road. Spanning 211 miles across the Brooks Range, crossing 11 major river systems and cutting through tens of thousands of acres of migratory animal territory, the road would have threatened fish spawning and rearing habitat and would have further compromised the already at-risk Chinook salmon population as well as the Western Arctic caribou herd.
“This is a historic win for the Alaska Native community. It reaffirms that our voices matter, that our knowledge is invaluable, and that our lands and animals deserve protection,” says Brian Ridley, Chief of Tanana Chiefs Conference, “The Biden Administration’s choice to reject the Ambler Road Project is a monumental step forward in the fight for Indigenous rights and environmental justice. The previous Administration did not consult with Tribal leaders years ago when the Ambler Road proposal was brought forth, and TCC is very appreciative of the efforts of Tracy Stone-Manning, Director of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and her team for meaningful consultation with TCC and its member Tribes. It is proof that our collective voices are powerful and that we must continue to speak up to protect our ways of life.”
United States Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland cites the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to restoring an appropriate balance between conservation and development as a weighing factor in the decision. “There is no question, using the best available science and incorporating Indigenous Knowledge practiced over millennia, that these decisions will help biological, cultural, historic, and subsistence resources, safeguarding the way of life for the Indigenous people who have called this special place home since time immemorial,” Haaland says.
Julie Roberts-Hyslop, First Chief of the Native Village of Tanana, says that this is a time for Tribes to rejoice. “Listening to the people closest to the land and animals is critical,” said Roberts-Hyslop, “For years we have been sounding the alarm – the salmon are no longer returning to our rivers, climate change is altering the planet. It is time for us as a human race to take responsibility for what we are leaving to future generations. I would like to thank President Biden and his staff for the countless hours meeting and reviewing all necessary information needed to make this important decision.”
The Tribes of TCC have strongly advocated for a robust SEIS statement, with the goal of informing the Biden Administration of the unprecedented detriment the Ambler Road project would have inflicted on the people, lands, and wildlife in the region. For years, TCC Tribal leaders have partnered with sister organizations, supporters, and like-minded individuals to raise Tribal concerns in various forums with leaders from the state and federal government about the importance of protecting tribal lands, subsistence, and the harmful impact of this proposed industrial road. Today’s decision shows that these pleas have not been ignored, and emphasizes the importance of continued Tribal consultation.
“The Ambler Road was permitted expediently under the Trump administration and was poorly justified with a deeply flawed Environmental Impact Statement,” said First Chief of Evansville Frank Thompson. “President Biden, the Secretary of the Interior, and BLM Director Tracy Stone-Manning have done their job well to reverse this insane decision and stop the proposed Ambler road. Thank you to all that have helped in this fight for our survival.”
TCC’s Full Board of Directors, which consists of 42 member Tribes and Tribal organizations, passed resolutions in 2014 and 2021 directing TCC to protect the Koyukuk River and surrounding areas from the harmful impacts of the Ambler Road Project. TCC has worked tirelessly to inform local, state, and federal government entities of the true costs of a road that would forever alter an entire watershed. Tanana Chiefs Conference would like to acknowledge the endless dedication of our Tribal leaders, Elders, advocates, and Indigenous knowledge bearers in protecting our land and animals. “I urge everyone to continue to provide testimony, show up to meetings, and raise your voices in the protection and preservation of our land and animals for all future generations,” says Chief Ridley.