It’s time to double down for the BWCA
August 31, 2022 1:16 pmAs federal agencies complete another environmental review of proposed actions in the watershed of the BWCA, it’s more important now than ever that supporters of the Boundary Waters let their members of Congress know: Now is the time to permanently protect America’s most visited Wilderness.
At the close of another environmental review of proposed protections for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters has an entire community of hunters, anglers, businesses, and die-hard BWCA travelers to thank for your steadfast support of some of the most common-sense, high-impact policies the federal government can enact on America’s public lands in 2022. From the staff, board and supporters of Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters across the country, THANK YOU for your support of the Boundary Waters. We remain humbled by the impact that a community of dedicated hunters, anglers and canoeists has had on the permanent protection of a place we are committed to passing on to future generations, and we don’t intend to slow down now.
At the conclusion of this chapter of environmental review, what comes next for America’s most-visited Wilderness? How does your advocacy make an impact? Read below to find out what the conclusion of BLM’s public comment period concerning a recent environmental assessment of the Boundary Waters watershed means, how the environmental assessment affects the permanent protection of the Wilderness and what steps you can take today to double down on your efforts to ensure future generations have access to hunt and fish the Boundary Waters in perpetuity.
What just happened?
The BLM, in consultation with the United States Forest Service (USFS), recently completed a 45-day public comment period regarding an environmental assessment of a proposed order to permanently withdraw hardrock mineral leases from development on public lands upstream of the Boundary Waters. Federal agencies tasked with managing these public lands, such as BLM and USFS, have the discretion to authorize or deny “mineral withdrawal applications”, leading to a moratorium on the development of any hardrock mineral resources in the proposed area for up to 20 years, by law. Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters has requested federal agencies enact such a mineral withdrawal for the maximum time period of 20 years, which would lead to a temporary moratorium of the development of any copper or nickel leases on approximately 225,504 acres of public lands within the Superior National Forest, subject to valid, existing rights. At the conclusion of this environmental assessment review, federal agencies will make a determination on whether or not to apply this moratorium, and for the length of time a moratorium would last. Each federal agency with jurisdiction over these lands is in agreement and has proposed the maximum allowed time period of 20 years.
What do we hope happens next?
If federal agencies grant the proposed 20-year moratorium, the immediate threat of copper-nickel mining in the BWCA watershed will be significantly reduced, as litigation proceeds regarding a handful of mineral leases within the Superior National Forest, not subject to federal agencies’ mineral withdrawal order. During that 20-year moratorium, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters seeks to ensure legislation that would permanently protect the Boundary Waters passes Congress.
With your support, Representative Betty McCollum’s (D-MN) legislation, H.R. 2794, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act, has proceeded through the House Natural Resources Committee, with a hearing in May 2022, and a subsequent markup in the same committee in July of this year, where the bill passed through committee. This is great progress for the permanent protection bill and is worth celebrating for its rapid progression through an otherwise entrenched Congress. This is thanks to the overwhelming support from the BWCA community, nationwide, who have declared the Boundary Waters a place worth protecting for generations to come.
For H.R. 2794 to become law, the House must advance the legislation as a standalone bill or as part of a broader legislative package. In addition, the United States Senate must also introduce the bill, advance it through committee and eventually pass the legislation through the entire Senate. Any upcoming legislation addressing public lands in the House or Senate can and should include Rep. McCollum’s legislation guaranteeing the permanent protection of the Boundary Waters. Your advocacy is critical to ensuring the BWCA is a centerpiece of future public lands legislation.
Although this will be a difficult challenge, Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is confident that with your support, and the agreement of the entire hunting, fishing, and conservation community, the Boundary Waters can be permanently protected within the 20-year moratorium proposed by federal agencies.
We appreciate each and every message sent by you to federal agencies, Congress, each donation, and every supporter of the Boundary Waters who has shown up to support our work, and the permanent protection of the BWCA for generations to come. None of what we described in this blog would be possible without your steadfast support, and each and every one of us that depends on the Boundary Waters is grateful to have your support in this fight.
From all of us at Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, THANK YOU!
