Trump Executive Order Advances Ambler Access Project to Boost American Energy

Vice President JD Vance discussed how the recent executive order signed by President Trump aims to unleash American energy and address U.S. debt during an appearance on Hannity.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order that many in the media overlooked, which experts tell Fox News Digital will play a crucial role in developing mineral resources in the United States.

The executive order advances the Ambler Access Project, a 211-mile industrial road through the Brooks Range foothills, facilitating commercial mining for copper, zinc, and other materials in a remote Arctic region of Northwest Alaska.

This order reverses a decision made by former President Biden to block the project and signifies a substantial shift in energy policy, according to various experts consulted by Fox News Digital.

“President Biden issued 70 executive actions that discouraged tapping into Alaska's natural resources and public lands access,” said Gabriella Hoffman from the Independent Women's Forum Center for Energy & Conservation. “Unlike his predecessor, President Trump recognizes Alaska's potential to meet domestic energy and national security needs for reliable energy and critical minerals — including restoring the Ambler Access Project that connects to the Ambler Mining District.”

Hoffman emphasized, “The Ambler Access Project has undergone extensive environmental review and would bring economic development to rural communities in desperate need of it without harming Alaska's natural beauty. Those who would benefit from employment by Ambler also hunt, fish, and enjoy public lands.”

Research conducted by the University of Alaska Center for Economic Development indicated that the Ambler Mining District's development could generate thousands of jobs and produce an estimated $1 billion in revenue for the state through mining license taxes, corporate income taxes, and production royalties.

“Ambler Road is like a shoelace on a football field: a tiny mark in the vastness of Alaska's wilderness,” commented Daniel Turner, founder and Executive Director of Power The Future. “Yet somehow, bureaucrats in Washington, DC, who have never even been there, hold the power to stop Alaskans from developing their own land and enhancing their economy. It's absurd.”

Turner pointed out that delaying projects like Ambler Road has increased U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers, notably China, which controls around 60% of the world's critical minerals production.

“Projects in Alaska like Ambler Road and Pebble Mine, along with oil and gas exploration in ANWR, are stalled by radical environmental ideologues, increasing our reliance on China for essential raw materials and undermining our national security,” Turner stated.

He further mentioned that the resources needed to drive economic growth are abundant in Alaska, but Governor Dunleavy is restricted by policies from San Francisco and Washington, DC. “The Trump Administration could be the most pro-Alaskan Presidency since Lincoln bought it.”

Hoffman noted, “Critics of the Ambler project overlook that access to the Ambler Mining District is secured under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980.”

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Alaska GOP Senator Dan Sullivan expressed optimism about collaborating with President Trump and local leaders to implement the Alaska-specific executive order, reversing Biden's refusal regarding the Ambler road.

“After a four-year barrage of 70 executive orders from the Biden administration that targeted my state, Alaskans are filled with hope for the future in various sectors and projects, including the development of critical minerals and metals that the United States heavily relies on China for,” Sullivan asserted.

Sullivan revealed that he had worked closely with the previous Trump administration to create a road to the Ambler Mining District before the Biden administration stopped the project last June, despite federal law mandates.

“Ironically, during President Biden's last overseas trip, he pledged $600 million in aid to construct a railroad in Angola to assist their critical minerals production. That is ridiculous.”

The executive order also aims to “unleash American energy” by directing agencies to revise and rescind burdensome regulations on domestic mining, as stated by White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly.

“The Trump Administration is steadfast in its commitment to securing America's energy future, enhancing national defense, and promoting economic growth,” she added. “By unlocking one of the world's largest undeveloped mineral belts, President Trump is ensuring a domestic supply of critical minerals, reducing reliance on foreign adversaries, and creating thousands of American jobs. This project is beneficial for national security and the American people.”