Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack Replies To McCollum's Letter on Protecting BWCA and Voyageurs

In a letter sent to Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has written that he shares the Congresswoman’s concerns that “inappropriate mining could do irreparable damage” to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and Voyageurs National Park. Vilsack also confirmed that the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is working closely with the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management to review mining lease renewals in the area and to analyze their potential impacts on the watershed.

Dated March 31, Secretary Vilsack’s letter was in reply to Congresswoman McCollum’s February 2 letter sent to him, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, and Christina Goldfuss, the director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. In that letter, Congresswoman McCollum urged the administration officials to protect the Bound Waters Canoe Area and Voyageurs National Park from sulfide-ore copper mining in the Rainy River Drainage Basin watershed, which includes much of the Superior National Forest.

Here is the text of Secretary Vilsack's letter:

Dear Congresswoman McCollum:

Thank you for your letter of February 2, 2016, regarding the management of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and Voyageurs National Park. I share your concern with respect to these special resources, and I apologize for the delayed response.

The BWCAW is noted for its abundant ecological diversity, pristine wildlands, and exceptional recreational opportunities. Lands within the Superior National Forest, south and southwest of the BWCAW, are also known for occurrences of copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, and silver. We share your concerns that inappropriate mining could do irreparable damage. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service is working closely with the Bureau of Land Management to review the status of the pending lease renewals and explore options for more comprehensively analyzing and mitigate the potential impacts to the watershed.

Again, thank you for writing and for your long-time support of this special place. ...

Sincerely

/s/

Thomas J. Vilsack

Secretary