Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issues executive order to block mining in Boundary Waters

(WCCO) – Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday issued an executive order to ban nonferrous mining in the Boundary Waters area, according to his office.

The order directs the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to stop issuing leases and permits in the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed.

It also directs the DNR to immediately review all existing leases to ensure the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is protected long-term. According to the DNR, there are 38 nonferrous mineral leases active in the area, including one held by Twin Metals, a Chilean mining company.

“As far as my administration is concerned, the fight for the future of the Boundary Waters is over. The verdict is in, the decision’s been made. We will protect this place forever,” Walz said.

The action comes months after Congress’s vote to overturn a 20-year ban on mining in the area, which opened the door to new copper and nickel mining proposals.

The governor and environmental advocates say those proposals threaten the region’s wilderness and water and nearly $1 billion in economic activity from outdoor recreation.

Environmental group Save the Boundary Waters praised Tuesday’s move.

“Governor Walz just stood up for Minnesota, for Minnesotans, and for the Boundary Waters,” Executive Director Ingrid Lyons said. “The Federal Government sold out our canoe country earlier this year by stripping away protections that took hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans’ voices and years of work to secure, all while ignoring science and the will of the public. Tribal nations weren’t even in the room. Now, our Governor is doing right by Minnesota by pulling out all of the stops to keep toxic copper mining out of the headwaters of the Boundary Waters, while also calling on our state’s legislature to finish the job permanently.”

Mining advocates argue the process is heavily regulated and offers economic growth opportunity.

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, the Republican candidate for governor, opposed the order.

“Tim Walz, Amy Klobuchar and Democrats in the legislature continue their hostility toward Minnesota mining, taking job growth opportunities off the table before they can even go through the regulatory review process,” Demuth said. “As Governor, I will work each day to ensure mining is part of Minnesota’s future. We can do it safely here better than anywhere in the world, protecting our beloved outdoors while benefiting from the job creation and tax revenue these projects bring to northern Minnesota.”

House Republicans echoed Demuth’s comments.

“Governor Walz acting like a king and arbitrarily shutting down an entire industry on the Iron Range less than five months before he leaves office shows that he doesn’t actually care about the people of Northern Minnesota,” House GOP Floor Leader Harry Niska said. “Removing any opportunity for these mining projects to even start through Minnesota’s incredibly rigorous environmental review and permitting process is short-sighted will damage the fragile economy in Northern Minnesota. Iron Rangers deserve better.”