Court Dismisses Twin Metals Lawsuit, Upholds Protections for Boundary Waters

Today, a federal court dismissed a lawsuit brought by mining company Twin Metals Minnesota challenging a series of actions by the Biden Administration to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Watershed. The lawsuit sought to reinstate federal mineral leases next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which had been illegally renewed during the Trump Administration. 

In response, The Wilderness Society issued the following statement from Alison Flint, Senior Legal Director: 

"Today's decision rightfully upholds the Biden Administration's actions to protect our nation's most visited wilderness area by ending the threat of sulfide-ore mining on unlawfully renewed 60-year-old leases. This ruling underscores the importance of preserving the integrity of our natural landscapes and affirms the government's authority to act in their defense. It's a significant step towards safeguarding the Boundary Waters from pollution linked to extractive development, addressing the extinction crisis, and advancing the Biden administration's America The Beautiful conservation goals. We're thrilled by this victory and will continue to advocate for permanent protection of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness watershed."

Adam Ratchenski, a Senior Associate Attorney at Earthjustice said, “This is an important victory for our clients and their longstanding efforts to protect the Boundary Waters from the threats of Twin Metals’ reckless mining proposal.”

Media Contacts: 

Jen Parravani, The Wilderness Society, jparravani@tws.org

Timna Axel, Earthjustice, taxel@earthjustice.org