ELY, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday suspended state work on proposed mining projects in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, four months after Congress and President Donald Trump's administration lifted a federal ban.
The cherished wild area stretches for about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) in the Superior National Forest along Minnesota’s border with Canada. Thousands of canoeists, kayakers and campers explore the wilderness each year.
"It’s our duty as Minnesotans to ensure the sacred place remains wild, pristine and unharmed," Walz, a Democrat, said.
Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, has been seeking to mine for copper, nickel and other precious metals in the national forest since 2019. It insists it can be done so no waste rock is stored above ground, eliminating a potential source of acid.
The canoe area lies within the national forest just downstream from the mine site, raising concerns that digging could cause pollution.
In April, Trump signed a resolution approved by Congress that lifts a 2023 federal moratorium on mining in the forest. He said it would create jobs and boost the mining industry.
Walz’s order says Minnesota regulators will not participate as a cooperating agency in any federal environmental review of a nonferrous mining project in the Rainy River watershed, which is linked to Boundary Waters.
The state also will not conduct environmental reviews or permitting work on mining proposals while litigation over state mining regulations is ongoing, the order says.
U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber criticized Walz, accusing him of “outright war on Northern Minnesota and our way of life.”
“Years of rigorous review, environmental study, and massive private investment have been erased in seconds by a deeply unpopular Governor,” Stauber, a Republican, said in a written statement.
Becky Rom, chairperson of the advocacy group Save the Boundary Waters, praised the governor, who did not seek reelection this year.
“The science is clear: copper mining and the Boundary Waters cannot safely coexist. This action helps safeguard the clean water, world-class wilderness, and outdoor economy that generations of Minnesotans cherish,” Rom said.
