(RightIsRight.co) – In another move to damage the nation, the Biden administration announced that it is blocking a controversial proposed road that would have enabled mining in Alaska.
This change plans to keep 28 million acres of currently protected lands off-limits to oil, gas, and mining development.
While the decision to block the road is final, the shift to protect the lands from mining still requires final approval.
Joe Biden said in a written statement, “Today, my Administration is stopping a 211-mile road from carving up a pristine area that Alaska Native communities rely on, in addition to steps we are taking to maintain protections on 28 million acres in Alaska from mining and drilling. These natural wonders demand our protection.”
The action bolsters Biden’s conservation record as he seeks a second term, and it may help him court climate activists who were angered by his approval last year of the Willow oil drilling project on Alaska’s North Slope.
Yet, his latest decision is certain to anger Alaska lawmakers, including Representative Mary Peltola, a popular Democrat who faces a tough reelection race that could determine which party controls the House.
Moreover, in 2020, the Trump administration approved the Ambler Metals Road project, claiming it would provide access to significant copper and cobalt deposits.
However, the Biden administration argues that blocking the road would protect at-risk wildlife, including the Western Arctic caribou herd, described as a “critical” food source for Native communities.
Additionally, the decision to block the road was expected, as the administration had previously indicated its intent to do so.
While the move to keep the additional 28 million acres protected also reverses a Trump-era effort, the Biden administration says this decision will protect tribal hunting and fishing.
Copyright 2024, RightIsRight.co
