American Rivers Announces Alaska’s Susitna River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers® of 2025
Contact: Hawk Hammer, National Communications and Media Director, Hhammer@americanrivers.org
Margaret Stern, Program and Communications Director, Susitna River Coalition, margaret@susitnarivercoalition.org, 907-733-5400
4/16/2025 Washington, D.C. — American Rivers has named the Susitna River—one of the nation’s most pristine rivers—#8 on America’s Most Endangered Rivers® list of 2025. The Susitna is threatened by a 100-mile industrial access road proposed to run across its watershed, opening the river to harmful impacts from mining and oil and gas exploration.
“Paving over such perfection would leave a permanent scar on the beauty of the nation,” said Sarah Dyrdahl, Northwest regional director for American Rivers. “The choice between one-time mining opportunities and causing irreparable harm that would destroy the region’s sustainable economies, versus ensuring salmon populations, pristine waters, and the incomparable natural beauty of this region for generations is an easy one.”
The State of Alaska and private foreign companies are pushing forward a proposal to construct the West Susitna Industrial Access Road, which would cross approximately 180 streams in the Susitna River watershed, impacting important hunting and fishing areas and wildlife habitat that the regional economy depends on.
It’s possible this threat will be exacerbated by recent presidential executive orders that prioritize mining in Alaska and aim to expedite permitting of extractive mineral projects in this state while limiting public participation.
“The West Susitna Industrial Access Road will bring sweeping changes to our region—transforming fish and wildlife habitat, altering subsistence resources, decimating sustainable economies, and reshaping the outdoor experiences that Alaskans and visitors from around the world cherish,” said Margaret Stern, program and communications director for Susitna River Coalition. “This boondoggle project would open the door to large-scale industrial development in one of the world’s last truly wild places. We must ensure that local communities, hunters, anglers, and all advocates for wild spaces make their voices heard in ensuring the future of this unique region.”
More than 375,000 people visit this region annually, with many coming to experience the river’s unspoiled landscapes. The river is home to not only five species of Pacific Salmon, but critical populations of moose and both black and grizzly bears. The river also supplies clean water for local communities and supports local Alaska Native community members and livelihoods for many across the state.
Permit application reviews are expected to occur in the coming year. American Rivers, along with local conservation partners, including the Susitna River Coalition, is calling on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deny all 404 permits under the U.S. Clean Water Act and reject any federal funding for this project. We are also encouraging the public to submit comments opposing the roadway during the permitting process, emphasizing potential impacts on clean water, cultural resources, fish migration, local economies, and the intact natural landscape of this remarkable region.
Learn more about America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 2025, including other rivers and selection process.
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American Rivers is a national conservation organization working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife. We combine evidence-based solutions with enduring partnerships to safeguard the 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams that are essential to our nation’s clean drinking water, extraordinary wildlife, and strength of our communities. For more than 50 years, our staff, supporters, and partners have been driven by a common belief: Life Depends on Rivers. AmericanRivers.org