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Senate Republicans send Trump resolution to lift mining ban near Boundary Waters Canoe Area
The measure, approved 50-49, would reopen more than 225,000 acres to mining and send the decision to President Donald Trump.
- On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed House Joint Resolution 140 by a 50-49 margin, overturning a 20-year mining moratorium near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness; the measure now heads to President Donald Trump for his signature.
- Congressional Republicans utilized the Congressional Review Act to overturn the Biden administration's 2023 mineral withdrawal, arguing officials failed to properly notify Congress of the decision protecting more than 225,000 acres in the Superior National Forest.
- Twin Metals Minnesota proponents argue the development will create jobs, though opponents caution that mining could result in significant pollution in the downstream watershed supporting an estimated $16 billion recreation-based economy.
- Democratic Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota criticized the vote, warning it sets "a dangerous precedent that would affect every state in our country" by allowing Congress to override public land protections.
- Despite the resolution's passage, Twin Metals still requires numerous state and federal permits before operations can begin, and environmental groups may challenge future approvals in court, potentially delaying development for years.
93 Articles
93 Articles
Senate overturns 20-year mining moratorium in Minnesota's Superior National Forest
Minnesota's Superior National Forest will be opened up to mining after the Senate overturned a 2023 moratorium by the Biden administration to prevent new mining within the federal land. In a 50-49 vote, the Senate overturned the 20-year ban on mining within the Superior National Forest, in a major victory for the Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, which seeks to open nickel and copper mines near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within th…
Newly approved mining in Minnesota may threaten waterways of a beloved nature preserve
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota is filled with more than a thousand lakes and rivers. But a recent vote in congress to allow mining nearby could threaten the preserve's waterways.
Senate Votes 50-49 to Overturn Minnesota Mining Ban
The fight over mining near one of America's most cherished wilderness areas just tipped in the industry's favor. The Senate voted 50–49 Thursday to scrap a 20-year ban on new mining across roughly 350 square miles of federal land upstream from Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area, reopening the door for...
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