Alaska
Interior Rejects Alaska Mine Road, Protects 28 Million Acres
The Interior Department on Friday moved to prevent mining across Alaska by blocking a road to the copper-rich Ambler Mining District and protecting 28 million acres of federal land statewide from minerals development.
Ambler Road, a proposed 211-mile mining road across Alaska’s Brooks Range, was formally rejected by the Bureau of Land Management, setting up an expected legal clash with the state.
The Interior Department also took a step toward blocking mining and other development on 28 million acres of federal land known as “D-1″ lands under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The Bureau of Land Management on Friday …