Copper mining access threatens Brooks

[adamkolesar]

This is very depressing for an already stressed Caribou population and the folks who hunt them...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/climate/ambler-access-project-road-alaska.html?unlocked_article_code=1.jU8.S3_8.ztENvtNzKbld&smid=url-share

 

[Wrhyne]

Doesn’t surprise me at all. Still terrible news.

 

[ThorM465]

As an outsider I find it hard to believe that the Alaskan ecosystem with 300 million plus uninhabited acres couldn't handle another road. It seems a bit absurd as I write this. What am I missing?

There are vast untapped federal natural resources in Alaska that I think we should be taking advantage off. Let me be absolutely clear that I'm not okay with strip mining operations that completely decimates the area and pumps toxins into the water system. Or any operations that have that affect. The standard should be leave it better than they found it, minus the earth metals and fossil fuels. I'm hard pressed to believe that there is not a reasonable position that allows us to preserve the ecosystem while accessing the resources.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I worked with the mining industry for 55 years. In every case, within two years the the wildlife population doubled and continued to grow. Why? Security because of the mine. Food because of the reclamation. I've seen 100 head of bedded elk chewing their cud while watching the haul trucks drive by.

I've seem bighorm sheep in the mine yard grazing on the lawn that just move out of the way to allow mining operations to continue. Most game co-exists with industry with more security than living on a ranch.

Get over this pollution crap. The arsenic limit by the epa is 5 parts per billion while the arsenic leaving yellowstone park is 785 parts per million. You have to look at the naturally existing geologic conditions. Selenium levels in central Montana are so high that imported cattle die when imported while local cattle have no problems. Horses die in western montana from lack of selenium due to geologic conditions. As I remember, zinc levels in the water of northeastern montana are two to three times the epa limit - naturally. Nothing dies.

I remember early in my career that the military provided the native popuation in notthern Alaska with guns and ammo to protect us from potential russian invasion. The result was they over killed the caribou. With massive amounts of food the wolves stayed longer and got snowed in. They then ate the hell out of the moose nearly destroying the population. There was a brief mention of this mess when I was in Alaska and then things got really quiet.

We suffer more from lack of inventory or knowledge. Often the government creates more problems than it solves. Don't let emotional management guide your insanity.