1. United States
2. Ariz.
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose House Joint Resolution 140, which would overturn the federal mining ban protecting the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. This resolution passed the House on January 21st with a vote of 214-208 and now moves to the Senate, where your vote will determine the fate of America's most visited wilderness area. The Boundary Waters is a 1.1 million-acre wilderness in Northeastern Minnesota that draws millions of visitors annually for camping, fishing, paddling, and hiking. In 2023, after extensive review and public input, the Department of Interior signed a Public Land Order banning mining on 225,504 acres of federal public land around the Boundary Waters. This protection was necessary because Twin Metals, owned by Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, wants to build a copper-nickel mine immediately upstream of the wilderness along waterways that flow directly into and through its heart, continuing downstream to Voyageurs National Park and Quetico Provincial Park in Canada. Using the Congressional Review Act to rescind a Public Land Order would set a dangerous precedent. This would be the first time the CRA has been used for this purpose, opening the door to undermining protections for public lands across the country. The risk to the Boundary Waters is particularly severe given the mine's location in the headwaters, where toxic runoff from copper mining operations would contaminate the interconnected waterways that define this wilderness. The 2023 Public Land Order represents a careful balance between conservation and development, protecting an irreplaceable natural resource that serves the public interest. Copper mining in this location threatens not only the wilderness experience for millions of visitors but also the ecological integrity of waterways extending into Canada. I urge you to vote against H.J.Res. 140 and stand with the protection of our public lands and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.