Senate Votes 50-49 to Allow Mining Near Boundary Waters Wilderness
The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to overturn a ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The vote ends a moratorium on mining across more than 225,000 acres of Superior National Forest.
The U.S. Senate voted 50-49 Thursday to overturn a federal ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The narrow vote repeals a moratorium covering more than 225,000 acres of Superior National Forest.
The vote clears the path for Twin Metals, a Chilean company, to reapply for permits to build an underground copper and nickel mine near Ely, Minnesota. The proposed mine would sit just outside the wilderness boundary.
Conservation groups have fought the project for years, arguing that mining in the region poses serious pollution risks to the area's interconnected lakes and streams. The Boundary Waters contains over 1,000 lakes and is a popular destination for canoeing, fishing, and camping.
The mining moratorium was put in place to protect the fragile ecosystem while studies examined the environmental risks. Twin Metals has argued the mine would create jobs and provide critical minerals needed for clean energy technology.
This opens the door for a copper and nickel mine just outside one of America's most pristine wilderness areas. Environmental groups warn mining could pollute the lakes and forests that millions of people visit for camping, fishing, and canoeing.
Twin Metals can now reapply for mining permits. Environmental groups are likely to challenge the project through lawsuits and regulatory processes.
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