The livelihood of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), a preserved wildlife area located in the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota, is being threatened by the oncoming Donald Trump administration. The area was recognized by the U.S. as a national park in 1975. Shortly after, the government began protecting the area from human activity. However, Trump is threatening to reverse these protections.
In 1978, Congress passed the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act. The act prohibits mining within the Rainy River Drainage Basin, which is the watershed where the BWCA is located.
However, any mining that happens outside the boundaries of the BWCA is not prohibited and may be harmful to the species in the area. A Twin Metals mine, located within a mile of the BWCA, has potential to harm the BWCA. “Any pollution that comes from the mine would eventually make its way to the lakes,” Government Relations Manager at Friends of the Boundary Waters Steven Schultz said. Friends of the Boundary Waters is the board of the BWCA.
To ensure the wilderness area is preserved, President Joe Biden enacted a 20-year moratorium on mining across all 225,000 acres of land in the Superior National Forest, preventing the chance of mining contamination. However, during his July 27 rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, alongside District 8 Congressman Pete Stauber, Trump promised to repeal Biden’s ban on mining when elected. “We will end that ban in about, what do you think, about 10 minutes? I would say 10 to 15 minutes,” he said.
Trump has chosen this stance on mining claiming there will be financial benefits to small towns in northern Minnesota. “I pledge to Minnesota miners that when I’m reelected, I will reverse the Biden-Harris attack on your way of life, and we will turn the Iron Range into a mineral powerhouse like never before,” he said.
However, according to a study from Harvard professors of economics James Stock and Jacob Bradt, “Analysis of proposed 20-year mineral leasing withdrawal in Superior National Forest,” keeping the BWCA healthy and in full operation creates more economic activity than the proposed mines over the next 20 years. The economic activity generated by the BWCA results from the jobs and local economies that rely on ecotourism, especially considering it is the most visited wilderness area in the U.S.
Friends of the Boundary Waters is also leading the fight against mining. The board is preparing to protect the area from the Trump administration. “We’ve been preparing our legal staff. We know from past experience President Trump hasn’t gone through the legal processes that he needs to,” said Schultz. “We would take them to court to slow that down.”
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on Dec. 19, 2024
