For Immediate Release
January 21, 2025
Contact: Libby London, 612-227-8407
Rep. Betty McCollum re-introduces legislation to permanently Protect Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Wilderness from sulfide-ore copper mining
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U. S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) re-introduced legislation to permanently protect Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park from the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining. The Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act permanently withdraws 225,504 acres of federal land and waters within the Superior National Forest, banning risky sulfide-ore copper mining in the headwaters of the Wilderness and of Minnesota’s only National Park. The bill does not restrict taconite or iron-ore mining anywhere in the State of Minnesota.
“The Boundary Waters is America’s most visited – and our most threatened – Wilderness. The countdown to an all-but-certain and unprecedented revocation of Biden’s historic mining ban in the Boundary Waters watershed has begun. The robust record of science, law, public opinion, and economics is clear – copper mining does not belong on the doorstep of one of America’s most iconic landscapes. Rep. McCollum’s Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act is crucial and common sense legislation to secure these lasting protections. This bill ensures that this beloved and long-protected place remains intact while upholding Northeastern Minnesota’s economic vitality and way of life,” said Ingrid Lyons, Executive Director of Save the Boundary Waters
In November, on the heels of the presidential election, the Star Tribune Editorial Board, Minnesota’s largest newspaper, wrote about the critical necessity of permanent protection writing, “Our stewardship obligations still require a no on this mine, this location: Minnesota’s beloved and fragile Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is unfortunately back in political crosshairs after the election.”
70 percent of Minnesotans support permanent protection for this priceless Wilderness area. Further, a poll conducted by Change Research of Minnesota midterm voters finds that 7 in 10 (69%) support legislation to permanently protect Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining. The poll of 1,098 2022 Minnesota voters from November 7-10, 2022 found that support for permanent protection ran high across all demographics and every region of the state.
A 2017 report by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency describes the waters within the mineral withdrawal area as “immaculate." The Report concludes that "the majority of the water bodies within this watershed had exceptional biological, chemical, and physical characteristics that are worthy of additional protection.
Cosponsors of the legislation as of 1/17/25 morning include: Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-8), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Sean Casten (IL-06), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Jesus G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Huffman (CA-02), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Kelly Morrison (MN-03), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Melanie Ann Stansbury (NM-01), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-2), Paul Tonko (NY-20), and Nikema Williams (GA-5).
What people are saying:
“I was raised in a culture which puts maintaining a healthy relationship with mother nature first. I believe that our environment nurtures us as much as we respect it. Before the treaties ceding land to the US, my people held the responsibility of treating these lands with dignity and ensuring we protect them. And oh is the Boundary Waters worth protecting. My trips there have been more enlightening, enjoyable, transformative, and peaceful than anything else I’ve ever experienced. It really is one of the pinnacles of the remaining natural world, that’s why we need to permanently protect this incredible Wilderness for generations to come.” - Rizal Agaton Howes, Kids for the Boundary Waters, Fond du Lac reservation in Northeast Minnesota, age 17
"Minnesotans treasure the Boundary Waters. 70% of us—across all backgrounds—stand united against toxic mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters, refusing to sell this iconic Wilderness to the copper mining industry. We must make sure President Trump doesn’t unravel the hard-won protections that generations have worked to secure. The Trump Administration has already stated its intention to open the Boundary Waters to toxic copper mining. That is why Representative Betty McCollum’s permanent protection bill is critical—because nothing less than permanent protection from copper mining near the Boundary Waters will do. This pristine Wilderness is a precious gift we inherited to preserve and pass on —not to exploit. Protecting it for our children, grandchildren, and future generations is our sacred responsibility."
- Mark Dayton, former Minnesota Governor and United States Senator
"At YMCA Camp Northern Lights, our mission is to nurture the deep need for connection and belonging that we all need—connections to each other and to the natural world. But the devastating pollution from sulfide-ore copper mining threatens this mission and the very Wilderness we cherish. This type of mining always pollutes, leaving a toxic legacy that cannot be cleaned up. It’s a risk we can’t afford to take. Permanently banning mining in the Boundary Waters watershed will safeguard this irreplaceable ecosystem now and for generations to come, ensuring a future where nature continues to inspire and connect us all." - Dan O'Brien, Executive Director of YMCA Camp Northern Lights, Babbitt, MN
“My outfitting and guiding business thrives because the Boundary Waters remains wild and unpolluted. This national treasure is not just a natural wonder—it’s the lifeblood of Wilderness-edge communities and a critical economic engine. Protecting it from the devastating risks of sulfide-ore copper mining is essential for the clean water, healthy forests, and pristine wilderness that sustain local livelihoods and regional economies. Without it, we all lose.”
- Jason Zabokrtsky, Owner, Ely Outfitting Company in Ely, MN
###
Learn more with our factsheet about the bill below.
This is helpful to use when talking with your elected officials about the Boundary Waters Permanent Protection Bill.