State proposes 320-acre Dalton Highway gravel site near the Ambler road's start

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has proposed opening a 320-acre sand, gravel and rock site at Milepost 165 of the Dalton Highway, about four miles north of where the proposed Ambler road would begin.

The first contract would go to the state Department of Transportation and Public Facilities: 50,000 cubic yards of sand, gravel and rip rap over five years, below fair market value, according to the preliminary decision. The first 5,000 cubic yards used on a public project would be free.

The land sat for decades in a federal corridor set aside in 1971 to protect the trans-Alaska pipeline route. The federal government lifted that reservation north of the Yukon River in February and transferred about 1.4 million acres to the state in May. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said then that the transfer would help advance the Ambler road.

DNR proposed similar gravel sites at Mileposts 145 and 172.5 in February.

"With the rescission of the Public Land Order 5150, that allows us to really start acquiring additional material sites through that entire middle section of the corridor," Transportation Commissioner Ryan Anderson told the Senate Transportation Committee on Sept. 24. He said the department had struggled to get free use permits from the federal Bureau of Land Management.

Ten conservation groups sued over the transfer. A federal judge ruled in July that the 1.4 million acres already approved, including this site, are shielded from their suit, and the groups have appealed.

Comments are due to DNR by Nov. 30. Only people who comment can appeal the final decision.