Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued an executive order Tuesday to ban nonferrous metal 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 for the long term. According to the DNR, there are 38 active nonferrous mineral concessions 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 Boundary Waters is over. The verdict is in, the decision is made. We will protect this place forever,” Walz said. The action comes months after Congress voted 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 wildlife and water and nearly a billion dollars in economic activity derived from outdoor recreation. The environmental group Save the Boundary Waters praised Tuesday’s move. “Governor Walz simply stood up for Minnesota, Minnesotans and Boundary Waters,” said Executive Director Ingrid Lyons. “The federal government sold out our canoe country earlier this year by eliminating protections that took hundreds of thousands of voices and years of work to ensure for Minnesotans, while ignoring science and the will of the public. Tribal nations weren’t even in the room. Now, our Governor is doing Minnesota right by doing everything he can to keep toxic copper mining out of the Boundary Waters headwaters, while also calling on our state legislature to permanently finish the job.” Proponents argue that the process is heavily regulated and offers opportunities for economic growth. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a 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 make it through the regulatory review process,” Demuth said. “As governor, I will work every day to ensure mining is part of Minnesota’s future. We can do it safely here better than anywhere else in the world, protecting our beloved outdoor spaces 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 in the Iron Range less than five months before leaving office shows that he doesn’t really care about the people of northern Minnesota,” said House GOP Leader Harry Niska. “Eliminating any opportunity for these mining projects to even begin through Minnesota’s incredibly rigorous environmental review and permitting process is a short-sighted move that will harm the fragile economy in northern Minnesota. The Iron Rangers deserve better.” More from CBS News at:
