Legislation to Overturn Minnesota Mining Ban Introduced in House

Today, House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) introduced a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn the Biden administration's withdrawal of 225,504 acres of land in the Superior National Forest from mineral exploration and development.

"Northern Minnesota is blessed with vast resources that can help America secure our critical mineral supply chains, end reliance on foreign adversarial nations, and power our 21st-century economy. Unfortunately, the Biden Administration made the political decision to withdraw over 225,000 acres of mineral-rich lands from development, jeopardizing our mineral security and costing thousands of good-paying jobs. I would like to thank Representative Stauber for introducing this resolution to reverse this mining ban and unleash American mineral dominance," said House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.).

"Northern Minnesota's Iron Range mined the iron that won this nation two World Wars, and we have the opportunity to lead America's mineral security that will allow us to compete and win in the 21st Century. Reversing the Biden Administration's illegal mining ban will allow us to do just that. I'm proud to introduce H.J. Res. 140 to stand up for good-paying, union jobs, fight back against China and other foreign adversarial nations, and protect our way of life in Northern Minnesota," said Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.).

Background

The Duluth Complex in northern Minnesota is a world-class mineral deposit containing nearly 8 billion tons of critical minerals. If developed, this region could constitute 95 percent of America's nickel reserves, 88 percent of America's cobalt reserves, one-third of America's copper reserves, and 75 percent of U.S. platinum-group resources.

In January 2022, the Biden administration canceled two decades-old mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota. Additionally, Public Land Order (PLO 7917), signed in January 2023 by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, withdrew about 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest headwaters from federal mineral leasing for 20 years.

The Biden administration's actions spurned years of environmental review, a pending Mine Plan of Operations, and myriad comments and letters from Members of Congress, mineral developers, locals, and union workers overwhelmingly supportive of the Twin Metals project.

In accordance with the Congressional Review Act, the resolution introduced today will eliminate PLO 7917 and prevent any similar action in the future.