Ambler Elder Virginia Commack said that the borough's decision does not reflect the opinion of many Northwest Arctic residents. This month, almost 80 Northwest Arctic residents, current and former, signed the petition against the development of the Ambler road project. When the Alaska Department of Natural Resources held two public hearings last year, out of about 37 people who called, only two spoke in support of the project.

The potential impact on caribou and the way of life in Northwest Arctic if Ambler Mining District is opened.

One of the largest caribou herds in North America has declined by nearly a quarter in the past two years, hitting a population level that justifies new hunting restrictions. The news was delivered last week at the annual meeting of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd Working Group, an advisory organization with representatives of villages dependent

The number of animals in the Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) is down by 20 percent. The calving parturition average was also significantly lower than recent years, with 2020 at 67%.

While public comment has been mixed, the issue of potential risk to subsistence lifestyles in many of Alaska Native villages along the proposed road have played a large part in testimony from Fairbanks community members, specifically at a public comment hearing in November of last year.