The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of America’s most treasured landscapes — a vast network of glacial lakes, boreal forests, and interconnected waterways that generations of families have paddled, fished, hunted, and explored. It sits within the Superior National Forest, first established under President Theodore Roosevelt, who protected millions of acres of public land for future generations.

Now, that legacy is at risk.

The U.S. House has passed a resolution that would overturn the 20-year moratorium on mining across more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest — opening the door to a proposed copper and nickel mine upstream from the Boundary Waters near Ely, Minnesota. Because this watershed is tightly connected, pollution from sulfide-ore mining could flow through the lakes and streams that define this wilderness.

This is not a partisan issue. Conservation has deep bipartisan roots. From Abraham Lincoln to Theodore Roosevelt to more recent presidents of both parties, leaders have recognized that protecting public lands is part of protecting America itself.

We are calling on the United States Senate — including Senate Majority Leader John Thune and every senator who will vote on this resolution — to reject any effort to overturn the mining moratorium. We also urge Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith to continue defending the Boundary Waters and to work across party lines to secure lasting protections.

Minnesotans deserve clean water, thriving outdoor recreation, and sustainable jobs that do not put an irreplaceable wilderness at risk. 

Vote no on overturning the mining moratorium. Stand up for Minnesota’s waters, wildlife, our shared public lands, and the generations who will inherit them.