Boundary Waters bill would protect watershed from mining; TWS applauds
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, MN
Brian Hoffman, Flickr
Proposal by Sen. Tina Smith would withdraw wilderness-adjacent lands and waters
WASHINGTON D.C. - The Wilderness Society applauded Sen. Tina Smith’s (D-MN) introduction of legislation to withdraw 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest from mining and other development. The proposal comes weeks after the Trump administration issued an executive order that could be used to expedite hardrock mining in the area and on other public lands and waters.
The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act would protect the Rainy River Watershed, an area that is upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is part of the ancestral and modern homeland of the Anishinaabe (or Ojibwe/Chippewa) people, a cherished outdoor recreation area and key refuge for wildlife including lynx, otters, black bears and sturgeon.
"The science is clear that sulfide-ore copper mining in the area would contaminate the Rainy River Watershed permanently; we cannot allow that to happen"
For decades, mining interests have been trying to develop in the watershed, which experts say would likely discharge sulfuric acid and other harmful substances and contaminate the wilderness’ lakes and rivers forever.
Jordan Schreiber, government relations director at The Wilderness Society, made the following statement about the news:
“The Boundary Waters Wilderness is simply too special to put at risk from mining. The Wilderness Society lends its enthusiastic support to the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act and commends Sen. Smith for her tireless efforts to defend this precious place. The science is clear that sulfide-ore copper mining in the area would contaminate the Rainy River Watershed permanently; we cannot allow that to happen.
The timing of this bill lends it special urgency. Just last month, the administration took steps to rush forward with mining and processing of hardrock minerals on many public lands—an order that may end up putting a bullseye right next to the Boundary Waters. We need more elected officials to follow Sen. Smith’s lead and stand up against the recent flood of attempts to privatize or exploit our irreplaceable public lands and waters.”
Contact: max_greenberg@tws.org | newsmedia@tws.org
