Trilogy Metals Inc. provided an update on the Ambler Access Project (‘AAP') – the proposed 211-mile, industrial-use-only road from the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (‘UKMP') to the Dalton Highway that will enable advancing exploration and development at the Ambler Mining District, home to some of the world's richest known copper-dominant polymetallic deposits. It is envisioned that the AAP would be financed and maintained by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (‘AIDEA'), and that companies such as Ambler Metals LLC (‘Ambler Metals'), 50/50 joint venture with South32 Limited, would enter into commercial agreements to use the road and pay tolls to AIDEA and its financing partners. More information about the Ambler Access Project is available at and about Ambler Metals is available at.

In March 2023, the Board of Ambler Metals approved funding in the amount of $12.3 million to support AIDEA's efforts to advance the AAP. The total budget of $24.6 million, funded equally by AIDEA and Ambler Metals, will support this year's program consisting of field studies, permitting and data collection, as well as work to support the United States Bureau of Land Management's completion of additional work to reinstate the permits for the road. AIDEA is focused on the startup of the field work where they plan on utilizing two camps at Coldfoot and Bornite.

AIDEA plans to utilize the Coldfoot camp from May to mid-September and the Bornite camp from mid-June to August. The planned field program will consist of cultural resource inventory surveys and testing of sites over approximately 765 acres, hydraulic and hydrology studies at 47 bridge crossings to assess conditions for area drainage, culvert placement and bridge design, collecting topographical and bathymetric survey data to support bridge data and fish passage culverts, engineering reconnaissance surveys and fish habitat investigations on over 100 sites. In addition, AIDEA continues engaging in stakeholder outreach with plans of up to 20 job fairs and community meetings this year.

To better understand subsistence along the proposed access corridor, and to promote communication and knowledge sharing, AIDEA sponsors a Subsistence Advisory Committee. The Subsistence Advisory Committee provides official seats for residents of Alatna, Allakaket, Ambler, Evansville, Hughes, Huslia, Kiana, Kobuk, Noorvik, and Shungnak. Additionally, the Gates of the Arctic National Park Subsistence Commission, NANA Regional Corporation Inc., and Doyon Limited have ex-officio roles.

Road Permits - Litigation and Remand: During the summer of 2020, the United States Bureau of Land Management (‘BLM') granted permits that authorized a right-of-way across federally managed lands for AIDEA and the AAP. Shortly thereafter, a coalition of national and Alaska environmental non-government organizations (‘ENGO') filed lawsuits against the federal agencies responsible for issuing the permits for the AAP. The ENGO's main position is that due process was not carried out during the permitting of the road.

In May 2022, the right-of-way permits issued to AIDEA for the AAP were suspended by the federal agencies based upon a request to remand the lawsuits. This remand request was made by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the federal agencies and was granted by the U.S. District Court. The purpose of the remand is to allow the BLM to carry out additional supplemental work in response to the lawsuits.

The original lawsuit was filed by the Northern Alaska Environmental Center and several other environmental and conservation groups, and a subsequent separate lawsuit was filed by Tanana Chiefs Conference and several tribes. As of February 2023, three of the six tribes have chosen to withdraw from the lawsuit – the Native Villageof Kobuk Traditional Council, Allakaket Tribal Council, and Huslia Tribal Council. In April 2023, several Alaska Native leaders travelled to Washington, D.C., with representatives of Ambler Metals and AIDEA to urge the fair review and timely completion of the Ambler Access Project's Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (‘SEIS').

There is strong support for the AAP from local residents and the Alaska delegation in Washington.