BWCA Environmental Impact Statement Actions

Your help is needed to protect the Boundary Waters (BWCA) from contamination due to mining! Please attend upcoming public hearings and voice your concerns.

In January 2017, the Federal Land Management applied for a 20-year moratorium on mining on National Forests Lands. This was to protect areas like the BWCA from, for example, contamination by sulphuric acid used in the process of extracting copper from the ground. As a result, 2 permits already granted for mining exploration in northern MN were terminated and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was launched.

Once the EIS is done, Sec. of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Sec. of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will decide whether to grant the 20 year moratorium or not. 

Meanwhile, MN Rep. Nolan, MN Rep. Emmer and several reps from other states have asked Zinke and Perdue to rescind the application and renew the terminated leases. If that happens, the EIS will stop. 

There are two upcoming public meetings held by the US Forest Service, where people can voice their concerns about the impact of mineral extraction on the BWCA, as well as Voyageurs National Park and Quetico Provincial Park. Please consider attending, and let them know beforehand if you would like to make a public statement at the meeting. Here are the details:

Tuesday July 18th, 3.30pm, Rally at Minnesota Science Center, 120 Kellogg Blvd, St Paul 55102

5.30-7.30pm – US Forest Service Listening Session at River Center, MN Science Center, 120 Kellogg Blvd, St Paul. See here for lots of details on this event as well as more background information.

Tuesday July 25th, 5.00-7.30pm – US Forest Service Listening Session at 411 55th Avenue W, Virginia, Mn 55792. See here for lots more details.

Other actions you can take include: 

1. Contact US Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwall and express your concerns. Tel: 202.205.8439 Email: ttidwell@fs.fed.us or you can go to Save the Boundary Waters website listed below and fill out the comment form provided by them.

2. Contact Secretary Ryan Zinke and let him know what you feel about this situation. Address: 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240 Tel: 202.208.3100. Email: feedback@ios.doi.gov 

3. Contact Secretary Sonny Perdue and do the same. Address: 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250 Tel: 202.720.2791

4. Support Save the Boundary Waters www.savetheboundarywaters.org

Let’s protect the largest Wilderness area east of the Rockies and north of the Everglades.