Understanding The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection & Pollution Prevention Act
January 22, 2025 10:46 amHunters and Anglers across America support the reintroduction of Boundary Waters protection legislation, H.R 588, in the United States House of Representatives. Read more to learn what the legislation is designed to do and why the legislation is necessary to protect the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness.
On January 21st, 2025, Representative Betty McCollum (D-MN) reintroduced legislation to permanently protect the Boundary Waters from copper-nickel mining in the 119th Congress, with support from a broad coalition of conservation groups. We appreciate Representative McCollum’s steadfast leadership in authoring BWCA protection legislation and stand ready to advocate for the legislation’s advancement throughout each hearing, markup, and as the bill progresses through Congress.
Rep. McCollum’s bill would create permanent protection for the Boundary Waters from any future sulfide-ore copper mining mineral leasing in the Rainy River Watershed of the Superior National Forest while exempting sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite mining. The bill would also allow continued use of the Superior National Forest for ongoing mining and logging operations. These are critical distinctions for the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota.
H.R. 588 is the crucial final piece of legislative protection for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and would permanently withdraw 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest from copper-nickel mining development. By law, federal agencies can only withdraw leases for up to 20 years, which the former Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland achieved with a 20-year mining moratorium announced in January of 2023.
Under the new administration and 119th Congress, the Trump Administration will likely undo this historic protection. Only Congress can pass a law to withdraw federal mineral leases permanently. Federal agencies have done their part in protecting the Boundary Waters, and now legislative leaders must take action to ensure the Boundary Waters remain protected for future generations.
This critical legislation was first introduced by a bipartisan group of elected officials in the House of Representatives in January 2020 as H.R. 5598, reintroduced in April 2021 as H.R. 2794, and again in January 2023 as H.R. 668.
What will this legislation impact?
The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act completes a mineral withdrawal of 225,504 acres of public land and waters in the Rainy River Watershed of the Superior National Forest in the State of Minnesota from:
(1) all forms of mineral entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
Additionally, the United States Forest Service (USFS) retains the authority to permit the removal of sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite within the acreage impacted by the withdrawal of leases under the proposed law.
What won’t this legislation impact?
The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act does not affect or limit taconite or iron-ore mining anywhere in Minnesota. Additionally, the legislation does not affect proposed sulfide-ore copper mining projects outside the Boundary Waters watershed; nor does it interfere with state mineral leasing, state environmental regulations, or state permitting processes.
Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters is not opposed to all mining in Northeast Minnesota and recognizes the value and importance of iron ore and taconite mining to the United States economy and Northern Minnesotan’s way of life. Our organization works to protect the Boundary Waters watershed from proposed sulfide-ore copper mining and supports H.R. 588, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act, as a core objective to conserve Minnesota’s natural resources for the use by and enjoyment of future generations.
SFBW has supported Rep. McCollum’s legislation to protect the Boundary Waters for nearly a decade through advocacy and testimony in Congressional hearings and sincerely appreciates the leadership Rep. McCollum has demonstrated. While the road to legislative protection for the Boundary Waters may look long and uncertain, supporters must continue to make our voices heard in the halls of Congress.
