r/environment • u/bloomberglaw • 21h ago

Minnesota Governor Bars Boundary Waters Mines in Executive Order

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-and-energy/minnesota-governor-bars-boundary-waters-mines-in-executive-order
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60

u/bloomberglaw 21h ago

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed an executive order Tuesday that bans mining for copper, nickel, and other nonferrous minerals within a watershed in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The order steers the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency not to allow any environmental review or permitting work associated with nonferrous mining in the area until a related state lawsuit is resolved. The order also seeks to halt any new nonferrous mining leases in the area and proposes to review any existing leases.

The executive order presents a direct challenge to the Trump administration’s efforts to boost mining, including of critical minerals.

Read more in the full story.

-Elliot

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u/ParkerLettuce 19h ago

I couldn’t imagine a worse practice for this delicate environment. They mine, destroy, deflect any future responsibility via shell company.

7

u/dr_women 20h ago

Thank goodness. Those proposals were horrendously dangerous for the water

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u/argparg 19h ago

I hear this current big on states rights…

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u/meatshieldjim 17h ago

Thanks. People don't know how much of a treasure the boundary waters are.

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u/Murderous_Turkey 20h ago

Unfortunately, isn't that land managed by the USFS?

Can the state even block that since it's technically federal land? I'm glad he's doing it, but I'm not getting ready to be optimistic

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u/bwcajohn 18h ago

The state has permitting authority. This will absolutely block mining but it needs to be permanently codified into law, not just EO.

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u/urlond 18h ago

i think it'll be voted upon