A beloved wilderness area is now safe from toxic mining.
On Jan. 26, the Biden administration canceled mining leases next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota. This welcome move came after more than 17,000 Environment America supporters submitted public comments calling for protecting the special place.
The Boundary Waters is a million-acre environment where hundreds of miles of river and more than 1,000 lakes support a diverse ecosystem of iconic animals, such as otters and moose. For years, a company has sought to open a copper and nickel mine on the wilderness’ doorstep. The Boundary Waters’ interconnected waterways would have allowed toxic pollutants leaked from the mine to spread throughout the entire ecosystem.
“Mining and the pollution that comes with it have no business in the Boundary Waters,” said Ellen Montgomery, director of Environment America’s Public Lands campaign. “The Biden administration has made the right call in protecting this popular wilderness area.”
Photo: With an outpouring of support from Americans for meaningful, long-term safeguards for the Boundary Waters, we won’t rest until we see mining fully banned in the watershed.Credit: Steven Conry via Flickr, CC BY-2.0