1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 214-208 to pass H.J. Res. 140, a resolution that would undo a 20-year ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and throughout the surrounding watershed in northern Minnesota. That ban existed for a reason the land drains directly into the Boundary Waters, and protecting it meant protecting clean water, wildlife, and an outdoor economy that thousands of people rely on. To overturn it, the House used the Congressional Review Act (something typically meant for federal rules) in a way many see as dangerous and unprecedented for public lands. If this becomes law, a mine doesn’t appear overnight, but the door is thrown wide open. It would clear the path for copper-nickel sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters’ headwaters. This kind of mining has a long track record of polluting water through acid mine drainage and heavy metals, damage that can last for generations. Once water is contaminated, there’s no undo button and the Boundary Waters is exactly the kind of place that deserves better. Do not let this happen, vote against this.