Ely, MN--The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters' 100 Days of Action continues this week with a focus on the economic value the Wilderness provides to Minnesotans. The Boundary Waters helps drive over $900 million in annual economic activity and more than 17,000 jobs. Sulfide-ore copper mining on the edge of the Wilderness will irreparably hurt this sustainable economic engine.
"The Boundary Waters is a cornerstone of a regional economic engine that sustains the livelihoods of thousands of Minnesotans," said Tom Landwehr, Executive Director of the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters. "Study after study shows that protecting the Boundary Waters is the best investment to ensure the region’s long-term economic health."
Recent polling shows that nearly 70% of Minnesotans favor permanently protecting the Boundary Waters from sulfide-ore copper mining, and in 2017 over 180,000 people urged the federal government to withdraw the watershed of the Boundary Waters from the federal mining program.
This week the campaign will be highlighting an editorial looking at the costs of copper mining from the local Ely newspaper, holding a telepresser with local officials and a Harvard economist, debuting a video of small business owners discussing the threat of copper mining to their businesses, and showcasing a study of the value of the amenity-based economy driving the region.
The economic impact on the Boundary Waters from sulfide-ore copper mining can be found here.
- The Boundary Waters is a major driver of a tourism economy that generates over $900 million in revenue annually and sustains 17,000 jobs, which support local families and businesses. (Explore MN)
- Destructive sulfide-ore copper mining in the region would undermine asset value, and cost an estimated $509 million in lost property value. Local property tax revenues, which support local government services in the region, would suffer as a result. (Boundary Waters Business Coalition)
- Introducing sulfide-ore copper mining on the edge of the Boundary Waters will have an overall negative effect on the regional economy over a 20-year time period. Though such mining might lead to temporary growth in employment and income, over time, the economic benefits of mining would be outweighed by the negative impact of mining on the recreational industry and in-migration, leading to a boom-and-bust cycle. (Harvard University Department of Economics)
100 days to Save the Boundary Waters, a multi-week campaign to demonstrate to policymakers the overwhelming support to permanently protect the Boundary Waters Wilderness from the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining. The campaign will consist of press events, videos, supporter actions, and more featuring voices from Minnesota and across the country of people that depend on the Boundary Waters for their livelihood, recreation, and clean water.