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Alaska plans to give away gravel worth millions to public corporations, aiding major construction projects like the Ambler Access Project and the trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced regulation changes allowing material to be conveyed for free to state agencies, provided the sales serve a public purpose.

This could lead to significant cost savings for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The proposed Ambler Road is estimated to require 15 million to 22 million cubic yards of gravel, with potential revenue loss of $45 million to $66 million for the state if provided for free. The DNR is evaluating applications from state agencies on a case-by-case basis.