Sierra Club Statement on Trump’s Advancement of Controversial Ambler Road

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, Donald Trump signed an executive orderto advance a controversial proposal backed by mining companies to construct a road across more than 200 miles of Alaska wilderness.

Trump's order reversed a decision finalized last year blocking the proposed 211-mile-long industrial access road sought by mining companies to facilitate operations in remote wilderness in Alaska. During a ceremony in the Oval Office, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said construction would begin in the spring of 2026, and the Department of Defense would contribute funding to a company seeking to mine in the area.

The controversial proposal has long been sought by mining groups, but has been in legal purgatory for years. The proposed route crosses one of the country's most well-preserved national parks, Gates of the Arctic National Park. Eighty-nine Tribes and First Nations have passed resolutions against the project, and local communities along the proposed route have overwhelmingly opposed its construction.

In response, Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club's Lands Protection Program, issued the following statement:

"Communities along the proposed route of the road have consistently made their voices clear in opposing this damaging project. This order ignores those voices in favor of corporate polluters. The Ambler Road will lead to significant harm to fragile Alaskan landscapes and the local communities and wildlife that rely on them. This is no ordinary road - it's an industrial corridor through intact forests and Alaskan landscapes long enough to connect Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia. Moreover, it would divide the migration route of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, causing irreversible damage. "

About the Sierra Club

The Sierra Club is America's largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit https://www.sierraclub.org.