Lawmakers Vote to Remove Safeguards for Pristine Boundary Waters Area

DENVER - The U.S. House of Representatives' vote to roll back protections for the area surrounding the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness increases the risk of new sulfide-ore copper mining near a watershed that provides important habitat for moose, bears, otters, lynx, and hundreds of bird species. By using the Congressional Review Act to overturn a mineral withdrawal, House leaders have taken a disappointing step that puts wildlife habitat, clean water, and a thriving outdoor recreation economy at risk - while opening the door for similar attacks on public lands across the country.

"The Boundary Waters is one of America's most iconic wild places that sustains diverse wildlife, clean water, and an outdoor recreation economy that supports 17,000 jobs. Using the Congressional Review Act to help facilitate new mining in this watershed disregards decades of local input from hunters, anglers, outfitters, and small business owners who want to prevent further mining near these important waters," said David Willms, associate vice president of public lands at the National Wildlife Federation. "This action could also prevent any future administration from ever putting safeguards on these lands and waters and sets a precedent that could impact public lands across the nation."

"Undoing the 20-year mineral withdrawal that safeguards the Boundary Waters is a reckless move with consequences that could last generations," said Brad Gausman, executive director of Minnesota Wildlife Federation. "Minnesota has a proud mining heritage, and mining remains an important part of our state's history and economy, but this proposal that would generate toxic waste near an irreplaceable wilderness is the wrong mine in the wrong place. The Boundary Waters is simply too valuable to gamble with."