About Us
Protect the Kobuk is a growing group of Northwest Arctic residents who oppose development of the Ambler Road.
We are finding our voices and speaking up with concerns.
Our goals are to
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provide information and a forum in which to discuss these concerns
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to promote opportunities for action and advocacy against the proposed Ambler Road Access project.
Join us to learn more and find your voice!
What is the Ambler Road?
The Ambler Road is a 211-mile road proposed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority. The Ambler Road would cross 2,900 streams,1,794 acres of wetlands, and 11 major rivers. If built it would significantly disrupt the culture and way of life of the Iñupiat and the Koyukon Athabascan by damaging the habitat of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd and many species of fish, birds, berries and plants.
NO AMBLER ROAD!
Where are we in the process?
In 2015, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) submitted a partial application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the lead federal organization responsible for reviewing the project. AIDEA submitted an application that was missing a lot of key information so BLM was not able to conduct an environmental impact statement (EIS) process until 2019. The Trump Administration rushed the process, so a right-of-way was granted in summer 2021.
Tanana Chiefs Conference and a handful of environmental organizations sued the Bureau of Land Management due to major flaws and lack of information in the EIS. A federal judge agreed with the lawsuit and in 2022 required the BLM to conduct a supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) as the first EIS did not fully consider the Ambler Road's impacts on the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, salmon (particularly considering news of few salmon on the Koyukuk), and Iñupiaq and Koyukon Athabascan cultures.
The comment period for the SEIS was conducted in September-November 2022, the height of hunting season in Northwest and Interior Alaska. The BLM is expected to release a draft SEIS in summer 2023.
Between now and then it's important that we keep the pressure on our decision-makers and make our voices heard.
NO AMBLER ROAD
