Federal Agencies Release Environmental Assessment of BWCA Watershed – Comment Period Announced
June 23, 2022 11:34 amHow you can directly affect the future of the Boundary Waters today, and what the latest announcement by federal agencies means for the permanent protection of the BWCA watershed.
What was announced?
On June 23, 2022, federal agencies announced a 30-day public comment period for an Environmental Assessment (EA), or a proposed study on the impacts of withdrawing hardrock mining leases upstream of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. In the newly released study, federal agencies proposed a moratorium on the development of any mineral leases in approximately 225,504 acres of Superior National Forest lands within the watershed of the Boundary Waters for up to 20 years.
Federal agencies are seeking input from hunters, anglers, and anyone who may be affected by the June 23 release of a draft Environmental Assessment and any federal agency actions that may follow during the announced public comment period for 30 days only. Beginning June 28, you can send a premade comment with Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, in support of the maximum allowed time period of 20 years that federal agencies can legally set aside public lands in the watershed of the Boundary Waters.
How did we get here?
In October 2021, federal agencies announced the United States Forest Service (USFS) submitted a mineral withdrawal application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). This announcement automatically triggered a two-year segregation that will prohibit the issuance of new Federal mineral leases within the Rainy River Watershed.
BLM and the USFS also announced they would seek public comment and conduct a science-based environmental analysis of the acreage in the Superior National Forest (SNF) to evaluate the potential impacts of mining on the natural and cultural resources of the Rainy River Watershed, conducted over a two-year period. The assessment released by federal agencies on June 23rd is the latest version of the study, and the following comment period is the public process where hunters, anglers, property owners, business owners, and anyone in the U.S. is invited to participate by submitting a public comment in favor of or against the proposed 20-year withdrawal period.
What happens next?
After the 30-day public comment period concludes, federal agencies will read, record and evaluate any written feedback received during those thirty days. This is why it’s incredibly important for supporters of permanent protection of the Boundary Waters watershed to send comments in response to the latest Environmental Assessment – a process that is designed for community participation. If we want to guarantee that the Boundary Waters, America’s most-visited Wilderness Area is protected for future generations to fish, hunt, and paddle, this is the most direct forum for us to show our support for that outcome.
After federal agencies have evaluated the written comments submitted during the comment period, agency officials will respond to any concerns or questions raised by stakeholders and produce either another draft Environmental Assessment or a final EA for public review.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will then develop findings and recommendations for consideration by the Secretary of the Interior, who will ultimately decide on whether or not to establish the withdrawal period requested by the Forest Service. The final determination can and should be a 20-year moratorium on copper-nickel mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters.
Now is the time to take action during one of the most important steps toward the permanent protection of the Boundary Waters watershed. Send a comment starting June 28 in support of the maximum allowed withdrawal period of 20 years that federal agencies can legally set aside National Forest lands in the watershed of the Boundary Waters. It’s up to us to guarantee these public lands and waters will be conserved for our future generations in perpetuity.
Starting June 28th, send your comment to federal agencies to support Boundary Waters protection
