Biden administration set to reject Ambler mining road, reports say

Plus: Alaska Senate to set aside extra school funding after warning from the feds ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ Email not displaying correctly? [View the web version]( Today's sponsor: [Today's sponsor: Matson]( Good afternoon. It’s Wednesday, April 17. In today's newsletter: - The U.S. Department of the Interior is expected as early as this week to issue an environmental report [that recommends denying a permit needed]( to build a 200-mile access road to the Ambler mining district, according to national news reports. - The Alaska Senate [plans to set aside around $15 million]( in its draft budget in extra school funding, after the federal government said state funding was not adequate for the highest-need schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. - Palmer’s city council [is asking Alaska’s attorney general to determine]( whether certain books violate state obscenity laws — and whether city librarians could be arrested for letting minors check out those books. When[a metal object fell from the sky]( and tore through the roof of a man's home in Naples, Florida last month, it sparked nationwide curiosity about whether it was out-of-this-world junk. It turns out, 1.6-pound cylindrical object was debris from a pallet of trash NASA flung into space three years ago, officials have confirmed. Anchorage weather It's mostly cloudy today with a high near 42 degrees. Mostly cloudy skies will persist overnight and into Thursday, while the daytime temperatures will climb up into the low 50s for the remainder of the week. Here’s what else is making headlines in Alaska today. — Megan Pacer, mpacer@adn.com [Reports: Biden administration set to deny 200-mile Ambler mining road through Alaska wilderness →]( The road is considered a first step before mining projects could potentially be developed to tap into rich deposits of copper, as well as the zinc and cobalt, but it has faced opposition from many tribal and conservation groups. ADVERTISEMENT [Alaska Senate to set aside extra school funding after warning from the feds →]( Last month, the state was told it owed almost $30 million to four school districts. After a recent recalculation, the federal government said the state owes roughly $17.5 million to the four districts. [Palmer council asks Alaska AG whether list of challenged books violates state obscenity laws →]( The letter to Attorney General Treg Taylor comes after the city attorney advised the council to ask for direction rather than remove challenged books from city library shelves, a step she warned could open the city to a civil rights lawsuit. [Peltola far outpaces Republican challengers in Alaska’s US House campaign fundraising →]( Recent campaign finance reports shed light on a race that is seen as one of a few that could determine whether Republicans maintain their slim majority in the House — or whether Democrats win control of the chamber in November. [Facing near-record snow season, here’s how Anchorage teams are getting on outdoor fields this spring →]( The efforts of coaches, parents and volunteers have allowed most spring sports in Anchorage to get underway without a hitch, but the situation has posed unique challenges for the teams themselves. ADVERTISEMENT More from the ADN [Alaska Airlines takeoffs resume after hold due to computer glitch →]( [Conservation groups’ purchase preserves additional land in Alaska’s Tongass National Forest →]( [Senate quickly dismisses both articles of impeachment against Homeland Security secretary →]( [Perspective: Fashion, basketball and the long game →]( [Boeing put under Senate scrutiny during back-to-back hearings on aircraft maker’s safety culture →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Click here to unsubscribe and manage your email subscriptions.]( Anchorage Daily News, 300 W 31st Ave, Anchorage, AK 99503, United States