President Trump has promised to “unleash Alaska’s extraordinary resource potential” by making it easier to mine America’s Last Frontier.
One key project in that effort is Ambler Road, a 211-mile route for industrial use, part of which will run through Gates of the Arctic National Preserve.
It’s a controversial project with the potential to damage the Arctic environment, though some Native Alaskans who live along the proposed route welcome the development that could come along with its construction.
Writer Robert Lester was reading news stories illustrated with what he called “generic Arctic photography,” trying to figure out how to feel about the project from afar when he was struck with a crazy idea: Why not walk the entire 211-mile corridor and see for himself?
Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Lester, who hiked the length of the planned road.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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