Vote No on H.J. Res. 140 to Protect the Boundary Waters

Vote no on H.J. Res. 140. This resolution would allow Chilean mining giant Antofagasta to open sulfide-ore copper mines near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, threatening over a million acres of pristine forests and glacial lakes that 250,000 people visit annually. Minnesota has never had a copper-sulfide mine. When sulfide minerals are exposed to air and water, they create sulfuric acid that picks up heavy metals and runs into watersheds. The U.S. Forest Service already found that sulfide-ore copper mining could cause irreparable damage to this ecosystem. This foreign company will dig up copper, likely send it to Chinese state-owned smelters, sell it on the open market, and leave us with the toxic mess. This resolution also perverts the Congressional Review Act. Republicans are using a law designed to overturn agency rules within 60 days to claw back a Public Land Order issued three years ago. Legal experts warn this violates the law and imperils the stability of countless settled agency actions. Once Congress rejects this protection using the CRA, it cannot be reinstated without an act of Congress. The outdoor recreation economy in this region generates over $17 million annually. Protect the Boundary Waters and vote no.