I applaud Rep. Andy Josephson’s commentary, “AIDEA was wrong to fast-track Ambler Road over public outcry” (Monday, April 6). The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority is considering spending $35 million of state money on design, fieldwork, and permitting of the Ambler mining road megaproject through interior Alaska. Estimated construction costs range between $580 million and $1 billion, to be paid by the state and federal governments. As Rep. Josephson pointed out, this proposal is trying to use limited state money to benefit one industry when we have so many other funding priorities — and at a time when Alaskans are particularly vulnerable.
In addition to the $35 million initial money, what are the implications of spending another $500 million to $1 billion of public funds on another new road? Almost $1 billion of federal and state money is already being spent on road construction in Alaska during fiscal 2019-2020. It is no wonder that 47% of Alaska’s greenhouse gas emissions are from transportation.
The Ambler Road megaproject would also severely disrupt subsistence hunting and fishing for rural residents of Northwest Alaska, at a time when for public health reasons we most need to be supporting these peoples’ food security. It is time to take this project off the drawing board, now.
— Cynthia Wentworth
Anchorage
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