STATEMENT: Department of the Interior Begins Process To Withdraw the Boundary Waters Watershed From Mining Development

Washington, D.C. — In response to the Biden administration reinitiating the process for a 20-year mineral withdrawal on National Forest lands adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Center for American Progress Senior Vice President for Energy and Environment Policy Christy Goldfuss released the following statement:

This announcement is welcome news to the hundreds of thousands of people who rely on the Boundary Waters’ pristine lakes and streams for recreation, employment, and drinking water. It is also a refreshing return to science-based decision-making that will not sell out the country’s most visited wilderness area to a foreign mining conglomerate. The most polluting industry in the world has no business threatening such a popular tourist destination and the economic engine for the region.

Related resources:

• Boundary Waters at Risk by Carlos Rivero Lopez and Jenny Rowland-Shea

For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, please contact Ari Drennen at [email protected].