Congress Moves to Open Boundary Waters to Pollution from Toxic Mining
Congressional action would gut long-standing protections and put one of America’s most cherished wilderness areas at risk for foreign-backed copper mining
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Senate passed House Joint Resolution 140, a dangerous measure that would strip protections from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, and open the door to toxic copper mining at the headwaters of this iconic wilderness area, threatening this treasured American landscape, and the clean water, wildlife, and recreation economy that depend on it, with potentially irreversible damage, while setting a troubling precedent for public lands nationwide.
Following is a reaction from Kabir Green, director of federal affairs for Nature at NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council):
“This is a direct attack on one of America’s most iconic wilderness areas. The Boundary Waters belong to the American people, not mining companies looking to extract profits at the expense of clean water and irreplaceable ecosystems. Congress should be protecting this national treasure, not opening the door to pollution and long-term damage that can’t be undone.”
NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Established in 1970, NRDC uses science, policy, law and people power to confront the climate crisis, protect public health and safeguard nature. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Beijing and Delhi (an office of NRDC India Pvt. Ltd).