Alaska Gains Control of Over 2 Million Acres of Federal Land After Court Ruling

U.S. District Judge Aaron Peterson denied environmental groups’ request for a preliminary injunction, allowing the Department of the Interior to continue transferring more than 1.38 million acres of public land in Alaska to state ownership. The land lies along the Dalton Highway and Trans‑Alaska Pipeline corridor and is part of a broader plan that includes the pending conveyance of an additional 700,000 acres. The transfer fulfills a promise made in the 1958 Alaska Statehood Act and enables the state to expedite permits for the proposed 211‑mile Ambler Road, a route intended to open access to critical‑mineral deposits. Governor Mike Dunleavy praised the decision, saying it restores lands promised at statehood and will support Alaska’s economic growth and environmental stewardship.