Four decades later, another win for the Boundary Waters
The Biden administration canceled mining leases near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness -- a place that our network first helped protect way back in 1978.
Rivers & lakes
Our country’s lakes, rivers and streams give life to ecosystems and people alike from coast to coast. Now it’s time we protect them as the life-giving resources they are.
The Latest on Rivers & lakes
Statement: Senate rejects amendment that would speed approval of polluting projects
Shareholders tell General Mills to reduce plastic use
Updates
Update: Environmental law under threat
What You Can Do
Featured Resources
Wasting our Waterways
Safe for swimming?
2021 Environment Minnesota Legislative Agenda
Are Minnesota beaches safe for swimming?
The Latest
Statement: Department of Interior delivers win for wild spaces by canceling leases near Boundary Waters wilderness
The Biden administration has canceled two leases for hardrock mining next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. This reverses a 2019 Trump administration decision to renew leases for Antofagasta’s Twin Metals copper and nickel project. The Department of the Interior determined the leases had been “improperly renewed.”
All of America’s waters should be safe for swimming. Fixing our infrastructure is the first step
Congress is providing more funding for infrastructure to help keep our waters clean.
Statement: Bipartisan bill a big leap forward for America’s clean water infrastructure
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee advanced the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act of 2021 (H.R. 1915) on Wednesday. The bill would authorize $40 billion over five years for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that provides communities with low-cost financing for clean water infrastructure projects. Additionally, H.R. 1915 includes provisions designed to both assist small or financially disadvantaged communities and dedicate 15 percent of the funding to state grants for green infrastructure improvements.
Protect the Boundary Waters
Congress needs to safeguard this natural wonder by preventing copper mining on nearby federal lands and waters.
Statement: U.S. House passes major public lands bill
"With today’s passage of this bill, we’re one step away from putting a lock and key on funding that has always been intended for conservation projects -- yet consistently diverted to other purposes. We’re closer to adopting a new consciousness for today’s world, that our lives are made richer if surrounded by more nature, rather than more extracted resources."