Hearing on Boundary Waters Bill Showcases Wide Support for Permanent Protection

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04) joined other members of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources on Tuesday for a legislative hearing on her bill to permanently protect 234,328 acres of federal lands and waters within Rainy River Watershed from harmful sulfide-ore copper mining pollution.

"The witnesses today made it explicitly clear that the BWCA watershed must never be polluted and poisoned by sulfide-ore copper mining," McCollum said. "The U.S. Forest Service is currently undertaking a science-based environmental analysis on the risks of this type of mining within the watershed, as part of a proposed 20-year mineral withdrawal. The Natural Resources Committee is working in parallel to evaluate whether a permanent withdrawal is necessary to protect the BWCAW, our nation's most visited wilderness and a priceless reserve of water so clean that you can drink directly from its lakes and rivers. Water is our most critical natural resource, and it must be protected not only for today, but for future generations. There is absolutely no room for error and no level of acceptable risk for toxic acid mine drainage within the watershed of this wilderness. Once damaged, it would be damaged forever."

During the hearing, witnesses made a compelling case for permanent protection of this pristine resource:

"The United States needs minerals. But not from here. The risk is too great."
-Mr. Tom Tidwell, Former Chief of the U.S. Forest Service

"What we have now in this place is what is becoming more rare, more valuable to the future than any commodity: clean water, untrammeled land, and a place to renew the spirit of our nature."

-Mr. Steve Piragis, Owner, Piragis Northwoods Company

"Our generation will have to deal with the ramifications of the choices the people in this room will make. We would like to inherit the pristine and transformative wilderness enjoyed by generations before us – not a toxic superfund site ruined forever and that my generation will have to clean up."

-Ms. Julia Ruelle, Board Member, Kids for the Boundary Waters

A video of the hearing can be viewed here. H.R. 2794 has 52 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, and broad support from stakeholders, advocacy groups, community leaders, and more. Learn more about the bill here.

###