The Department of the Interior has announced two significant actions to maintain protections on Bureau of Land Management (BLM)-managed public lands in Alaska. These lands are crucial for fish and wildlife habitats, sensitive rivers and streams, and other resources vital to the state's subsistence economy and the way of life for Alaska Native communities.

These measures build upon the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to conserve millions of acres in Alaska. This includes implementing maximum protections for over 13 million acres of Special Areas in the western Arctic and safeguarding approximately 2.8 million acres of the Beaufort Sea, effectively placing the entire United States Arctic Ocean off-limits to new oil and gas leasing. President Biden is poised to conserve more lands and waters than any previous president.

"The Department of the Interior takes seriously our obligations to manage America’s public lands for the benefit of all people. In Alaska, that includes ensuring that we consider the impacts of proposed actions on Alaska Native and rural subsistence users," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. "Guided by feedback from Tribal Nations, Native Corporations, and the best-available science, the steps we are taking today ensure these important areas remain intact for generations to come."

In a notable decision, the Department released a Record of Decision (ROD) rejecting the proposed Ambler Road project by selecting the No Action Alternative from April 2024's Ambler Road Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Consequently, the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) will not receive a right-of-way across BLM-managed lands.

The proposed Ambler Road would have traversed 211 miles through significant wildlife habitats essential for Tribal communities' subsistence activities along north central Alaska's Brooks Range. The BLM analysis indicated that constructing this road would necessitate over 3,000 stream crossings and adversely affect at-risk wildlife populations such as sheefish and Western Arctic caribou herd—critical food sources for Native communities.

Furthermore, it was found that building this road would diminish subsistence resource availability while restricting access to them. Irreparable impacts on permafrost were also highlighted as concerns making road reclamation unlikely.

The supplemental EIS addressed deficiencies identified in a 2020 analysis remanded by federal district court. It evaluated potential impacts on resources more thoroughly under Section 810 of ANILCA (Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act). Findings showed significant restrictions on subsistence use affecting over 60 Alaska Native communities if constructed.

The BLM initiated this supplemental process in May 2022 with extensive consultations involving Tribes and Alaska Native Corporations alongside public meetings gathering nearly 90,000 written comments during its draft phase released last October.

Additionally today saw another key action: releasing a Final Environmental Impact Statement analyzing revocation proposals regarding existing withdrawals covering approximately twenty-eight million acres managed by BLM across various Alaskan regions including Bay Area & Ring Of Fire Planning Areas among others which received substantial public support favoring retention rather than revocation based upon environmental socio-economic considerations raised previously during consultation phases involving local stakeholders especially those dependent upon traditional hunting/fishing practices integral their cultural heritage sustained via current protective measures upheld thus far preventing extractive developments potentially detrimental these ecologically sensitive zones now set remain protected pending final decisions expected within next thirty days following publication Federal Register official notification period concluding soon thereafter allowing necessary deliberations take place before formal ratification anticipated shortly afterwards ensuring continued stewardship preserving invaluable natural assets future generations benefit alike perpetuating legacy conservationist ethos guiding principles underpinning administrative policy framework presently operationalized under auspices respective governmental authorities entrusted oversight responsibilities therein accordingly fulfilling mandated duties commensurate statutory provisions applicable contexts concerned thereby effectuating intended outcomes envisaged initially conceived course endeavors undertaken heretofore ongoing basis consistently pursued overarching objectives aligned broader strategic imperatives encompassing wider remit jurisdictional purview exercised duly constituted bodies charged executing designated functions pertinent domains relevance stipulated accordingly compliant procedural norms established regulatory frameworks governing operative modalities adhered strictly compliance requisite 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