The Senate voted on Apr. 19 to overturn a two-decade ban on new mining operations in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, reversing a moratorium put in place by the Biden administration in 2023.
The decision allows mining companies to pursue projects within the federal land, an area that includes the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Supporters say this move will enable access to an estimated four billion tons of nickel and copper ore beneath the forest, while opponents warn of environmental risks.
The vote was close at 50-49 and mostly followed party lines. Two Republican senators, Susan Collins and Thom Tillis, joined Democrats who opposed lifting the ban. The reversal is seen as a significant win for Antofagasta, a Chilean mining company whose subsidiary Twin Metals has plans to mine near protected wilderness areas.
Environmental groups criticized the Senate’s action. Ingrid Lyons, executive director of Save the Boundary Waters, said in a press release: “today is a dark day for America’s most beloved Wilderness area, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and a stark warning call for public lands nationwide. Minnesotans and the American public writ large have been loud and clear — this iconic place needs to be protected.” Senator Martin Heinrich also spoke against copper mining in sensitive areas: “I can tell you, as somebody who has been a natural resources trustee, who has had to negotiate with copper companies in my own state, that this type of copper mining has never been done without polluting the water. Never, not once.” The U.S. Forest Service previously found that proposed mines could threaten waterways and soil both in studies conducted in 2016 and again in 2022. Harvard researchers have warned that contamination could harm Minnesota’s recreation and tourism industries.
While passage through Congress moves Twin Metals’ project forward at the federal level, any future mine will still require permits from state authorities before construction can begin.
The bill now goes to President Biden’s desk for signature into law.
