On October 20th, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced a public engagement process as they consider the request from the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USFS) to consider a 20-year moratorium on copper-sulfide mining on 225,000 acres of federal land in the Rainy River Watershed
As part of this process, the BLM will accept public comment for 30 and will hold public meetings on the mineral withdrawal request. This is a critical first step towards protecting the Boundary Waters, Voyageurs National Park, and Lake of the Woods. The comment period is a unique opportunity for the Biden administration to hear directly from the voices of the people of Minnesota and all those fighting to protect northeastern Minnesota from environmental and economic threats.
There are currently two opportunities for public comment to help stop the Twin Metals proposed sulfide mining project in the Rainy River watershed in Northeastern Minnesota.
The Rainy River watershed covers 1,890,689 acres. 3,531 lakes represent 267,654 of the watershed’s acreage, and wetlands represent another 362,218 acres. This watershed includes two very important protected areas of Minnesota: the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park, as well as Lake of the Woods, Minnesota’s largest lake.
Submit comments to be part of this historic effort to and stop the Twin Metals project!
Credit: Matthew Dischinger
Minnesota’s Laws Do Not Protect our Waters from the Dangers of Sulfide Mining
A change to these laws could ban sulfide mining in the Rainy River Headwaters. A 30-day public comment period is open until December 8, 2021! Tell the DNR that our laws do not adequately protect our waters.
You can comment through Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters, or directly to the DNR.
20-year Federal Moratorium on Sulfide Mining near the Boundary Waters
The Biden Administration recently announced that the US Forest Service submitted a mineral withdrawal application to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which would provide for a 20-year moratorium on copper-sulfide mining on 225,000 acres of federal land in the Rainy River Watershed. The 2-year environmental study began immediately with the announcement, and a 90-day comment period is underway until January 18, 2022!
You can comment through Friends of the Boundary Waters website, or submit your own unique comments to the BLM.
Thank you for being a part of history and protecting 225,378 acres of pristine waters, forests, and wildlife.
Credit: Andrew Wong
