This morning, Governor Walz signed an executive order directing the Minnesota DNR and MPCA to halt all permitting and environmental review for nonferrous mineral mining projects in the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed—home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
"It's our duty as Minnesotans to ensure the sacred place remains wild, pristine and unharmed," Walz said.
The order comes four months after Congress reversed a 20-year federal ban on mining, reopening the door to copper-nickel mining proposals like Twin Metals' project near Ely.
What the order does:
- Stops the DNR and MPCA from issuing new leases or permits for copper-nickel mining in the watershed
- Directs the DNR to immediately review existing mineral leases to ensure long-term protection of the BWCAW
- Directs the DNR to draft legislation that would permanently prohibit copper-nickel mining in the watershed
Why it matters: This is a significant victory. As an executive order rather than law, it carries less permanent force—a future governor could reverse it with a signature. That's exactly why Walz is pushing to codify the protection into state law, and why continued advocacy matters.
"For decades, Minnesotans have fought to keep sulfide mining pollution out of the Boundary Waters watershed—because once clean water is lost, there's no getting it back. Governor Walz's executive order is a powerful, necessary step to protect this irreplaceable wilderness. Now it's on all of us to make sure this protection outlasts any single administration," said Paul Austin, Executive Director.
What's next: Expect legal challenges from mining interests, and a fight in the legislature over making this ban permanent.