Minnesota Governor Tim Walz issued an executive order on Tuesday directing the state to refrain from processing or reviewing permits related to proposed mining projects in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The action came four months after Congress and the Trump administration lifted a federal moratorium on mining in the region. The Boundary Waters stretch approximately 150 miles through the Superior National Forest along Minnesota’s border with Canada and attract thousands of recreational visitors annually for canoeing, kayaking, and camping activities.
Walz, a Democrat, stated that Minnesota has an obligation to protect the area from development. Under state law, the executive order would expire by April, approximately 90 days after Walz leaves office, allowing a successor to modify the policy. The order specifies that Minnesota regulators will not serve as a cooperating agency in federal environmental reviews of nonferrous mining in the Rainy River watershed, which connects to the Boundary Waters. Additionally, the state will withhold environmental reviews and permitting decisions while litigation over state mining regulations continues. Walz has directed the Department of Natural Resources to draft legislation that would prohibit nonferrous mining in the Rainy River watershed.
Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, has pursued mining rights in the national forest since 2019 to extract copper, nickel, and other precious metals. The company maintains that operations can be conducted without storing waste rock above ground, which would reduce the risk of acid pollution. The canoe area’s location downstream from the proposed mine site has generated concerns about potential water contamination.
Republican U.S. Representative Pete Stauber criticized the governor’s action, describing it as “outright war on Northern Minnesota and our way of life” and contending that years of environmental review and private investment have been negated. Conversely, Becky Rom, chairperson of the advocacy group Save the Boundary Waters, commended the decision, stating that scientific evidence demonstrates copper mining and the wilderness cannot coexist safely. A University of Minnesota law professor noted that the state action adds uncertainty to any future project, as federal and state approvals typically proceed in tandem.
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