On July 18th, the US government transferred 28,000 acres in northwest Alaska to the NANA Regional Corporation, placing more land near the proposed Ambler mining road under local control. The move, aligned with former President Trump’s push to ease resource development, aims to reduce federal barriers and promote native opportunity. NANA, owned by the Inupiat tribe, has supported the Ambler road project to access nearby copper, zinc, and lead deposits, though it withdrew from a previous partnership. The Biden administration has since rejected the road due to environmental and community concerns.