The Biden administration has denied approval for a project to build more than 200 miles of road in the Alaskan wilderness.

On this Earth Day, environmental advocates said the decision highlights how states like West Virginia could protect its own lands in the face of shrinking natural resources and pressure to open up protected areas to mining and other development.

Alex Johnson, interior Alaska director for the National Parks Conservation Association, said the environmental degradation caused by building roads can be seen in parts of West Virginia, where coal hauling trucks rumble through areas of the Monongahela National Forest.

"We believe that it makes sense for people across the country, including the people of West Virginia, to understand that Northwest Alaska is not the place to build a massive mining industrial project," Johnson asserted.

A few years ago, the U.S. Forest Service issued a permit allowing South Fork Coal Company to haul oversized coal loads, cut trees, and regrade and widen forest roads, as well haul mining supplies and equipment along a gravel road linked to the North Fork Cherry River. Local groups recently sued the agency for failing to protect streams in the Cherry River watershed.

Johnson added this month's federal decision protects a vast, pristine landscape that is homeland to dozens of Alaska Native communities.

"This is a huge win for the largest national park landscape," Johnson observed. "With 16 million acres of contiguous wild roadless park lands and over 20 million acres of national park lands in Northwest Alaska that would have been affected if this road had been built."

The route proposed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority runs through the Ambler Mining Belt, rich in copper and zinc deposits. It would have crossed nearly 3,000 waterways.

The Sierra Club is taking the Trump administration to court, joining a slew of legal challenges over the mass firings of federal workers.

Sierra Club Managing Attorney Gloria Smith said the purge conducted by Trump's Department of Government Efficiency will have immediate impacts on Colorado's public lands and parks.

Trails won't be maintained and campgrounds will not be cleaned up.

"You know, after a long winter and the snow and storms, there's a lot of work that goes into making a park presentable and safe for the high season," said Smith, "when millions and millions of people visit."

Federal judges in California and Maryland have ruled that the firings were illegal, and ordered the Trump administration to immediately rehire up to tens of thousands of probationary workers across multiple agencies.

The Maryland court ruled in favor of a lawsuit brought by Colorado's Phil Weiser and 20 other state attorneys general.

The Trump administration has called the rulings an unconstitutional effort to seize the power of hiring and firing from the Executive Branch, and promised to appeal.

Smith said she supports the recent court decisions, but notes it remains to be seen whether or not the Trump administration will follow court orders.

She said park visitor safety, wildlife protection, and wildfire prevention are all still at risk. And she said workers dedicated to protecting lands owned by all Americans deserve better.

"Obviously this is of the highest importance," said Smith. "People have lost their jobs. This is going to affect communities, people's families. They can't pay their rent or their mortgages."

Sierra Club members are especially concerned about firings at the National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - which includes the National Weather Service.

Smith said real-time weather service data is vital.

"For example, on a rafting trip, if there's a huge storm then there are flash flood risks," said Smith. "So the National Weather Service is absolutely critical."

By Danielle Zulkosky for WISH-TV.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

Indiana Dunes National Park has lost five employees in the wake of federal cuts hitting national parks, which has raised concerns about park safety and maintenance.

Save the Dunes is an official partner of the Indiana Dunes National Park. The nonprofit is focused on the preservation and restoration of the Indiana Dunes.

Betsy Maher, executive director of Save the Dunes, says the loss of staff could lead to longer lines and poorly managed facilities.

“(It could lead to) unkempt bathrooms, possibly closed down camping sites, overflowing trashcans,” Maher said, highlighting the potential impact on park visitors.

At least one person who mowed the park was laid off, meaning grass could be unmanaged for visitors at times.

But it’s not just bathrooms, grass, and trash cans. The reduction in staff also poses safety risks, with fewer park rangers available for rescues and medical attention.

Maher also emphasizes the importance of maintenance workers and firefighters.

“This area is very prone to fires,” Maher said. “It takes active management to keep those fires at bay.”

Other employees who were let go worked in areas such as restoration management. The park has borders the zig zag through northern Indiana sometimes coming up against industry or residential areas.

Maher says these employees were “critical” for preserving the park’s biodiversity in these areas. Lack of preservation along the borders can have “catastrophic” consequences.

“You have very actively managed lands on the national park side and completely unmanaged lands right across the border,” Maher said. “So it’s very easy for those invasive species, especially those plant species, to get dropped and to take hold in the national park.”

Indiana Dunes National Park is renowned for its biodiversity. Maher said it is the fifth most biologically diverse National Park in the United States.

Despite the challenges posed by staff reductions, Save the Dunes will continue to advocate for the protection of the Indiana Dunes National Park’s unique environment and visitor experience.


Danielle Zulkosky wrote this article for WISH-TV.


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With West Virginia's tourism industry seeing dramatic growth in recent years, conservation groups are sounding the alarm about layoffs of federal land-management workers.

Reports indicate 3,400 U.S. Forest Service employees and 1,000 National Park Service workers have been fired nationwide, representing a 10% force reduction for the Forest Service and 5% at the Park Service.

Olivia Miller, program director for the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, said the cutbacks will affect the state's economy.

"Public lands have an enormous economic impact in our state, bringing in around $9 billion annually and supporting about 91,000 jobs," Miller pointed out. "Many communities are built around outdoor recreation and tourism."

The Park Service reported West Virginia saw more than 2 million visitors to its national parks in 2023, with park visitors spending more than $120 million in the state.

In 2023, West Virginia saw a 17% increase in visitor spending in the state compared with a national increase around 1%. The state Department of Tourism forecasts continued visitor spending will create 21,000 jobs annually through 2030.

Advocates are pointing to the preexisting staffing problems at national forests including Monongahela, which is described as chronically understaffed. Miller noted understaffed national parks and forests will have a slower response to invasive species and sees the likelihood of an overall decline in the quality of visitor experiences.

"Trail maintenance will likely become harder," Miller observed. "Cleaning up campsites and opening them up for people over the summer is going to become more and more difficult for these agencies to sustain."

National parks nationwide saw more than 325 million visits in 2023, a 4% increase over the year prior.