1. United States
2. Minn.
3. Letter

I am writing as a constituent and Minnesotan who deeply values our state's natural heritage to urge you to oppose any efforts to open public lands adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to mining. The Boundary Waters is one of the most treasured wild places in America. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, supports local economies through tourism and recreation, and provides clean water to communities across the region. These are lasting, renewable benefits that belong to all Americans — not just today, but for generations to come. Opening the surrounding public lands to mineral extraction would put all of that at risk. The BWCA's ecosystem is uniquely vulnerable to contamination from sulfide-ore mining, which has a well-documented history of producing acid mine drainage that can persist for centuries. No short-term economic gain justifies that risk to irreplaceable water and wilderness. I am also deeply concerned that the primary beneficiaries of these mining rights would not be Minnesotans or American workers — but foreign-owned corporations with no lasting stake in our communities or our land. Public lands should serve the public, not foreign extractive interests. I urge you to stand firmly against any legislation or regulatory rollback that would allow mining activity near the Boundary Waters. Please protect what makes Minnesota extraordinary. Thank you for your service and your attention to this critical issue.