Minnesota’s BWCA mining ban could soon come to an end

(FOX 9) - A federal ban on mining in the Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) expected to protect the lands for 20 years could soon be revoked if a vote in the U.S. Senate is approved.

BWCA mining ban

What we know:

Nearly 225,000 acres of federal land located in the Superior National Forest was previously protected by a 20-year mining moratorium instituted by the Biden administration.

The decision issued by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2023 limited a significant portion of one of the largest undeveloped deposits of copper, nickel, cobalt and other metals in the world.

In its wake, the decision dealt a blow to the Twin Metals mine near Ely, Minnesota, and other potential mines within the watershed of the BWCA.

Twin Metals had previously proposed a $1.7 billion underground copper-nickel mine near Ely, just south of the Boundary Waters, before the Biden administration canceled two federal mineral leases held by the company along Birch Lake in the Superior National Forest.

The leases are required to mine the underground metals, which once mined, are critical for the manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries, solar panels, wind turbines and other tech commonly used today.

BWCA Senate vote final hurdle

Why you should care:

On Jan. 21, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 214-208 in favor of Resolution 140, introduced by Minnesota Rep. Pete Stauber, to overturn the Biden administration’s 20-year ban.

The resolution now heads to the U.S. Senate, which is also Republican-controlled. A vote is expected to come as soon as this week.

Although the bill does not specifically mention or approve of any mining project, opponents say that overturning the federal withdrawal could reopen a path for proposals and approvals.

On his first day in office, President Trump signed executive orders rolling back environmental protections and reopening waters for drilling.

Any resolution approved by Congress reaching the president’s desk would likely then be signed into law without much further opposition.

Big picture view:

Those in favor of mining efforts argue the resources are not only needed for manufacturing, but also in reaching carbon-emission goals. The mining would also be done with stricter environmental regulations than in the past.

Meanwhile, environmentalists contend the benefits aren’t worth the risk – the pristine wilderness connected to millions of gallons of freshwater lakes should be protected for future generations, while the mining industry adapts accordingly.

What they're saying:

"I’m thrilled the House has passed H.J. Res. 140 to repeal Biden’s illegal mining ban that directly threatened our way of life," Stauber said in a press release accompanying the resolution. "Growing up in the Northland, I’ve seen firsthand how these radical policies kill jobs and hurt families."

"The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is our nation’s most-visited wilderness area, and its headwaters should be protected from toxic sulfide-ore mining," Rep. Betty McCollum, an opponent of the reversal, said in a statement following the vote. "Instead of protecting this national treasure, the House Republican majority voted to put one of the largest reserves of freshwater in the world directly in the path of inevitable acid mine drainage. One hundred percent of copper mines have failed, leading to polluted waters."