Very few people would argue that the Boundary Waters aren’t one of the most beautiful and important natural landmarks in the state of Minnesota, if not the United States as a whole. For that reason we should make whatever effort possible to protect the Boundary Waters from anything that could compromise its ecosystem or natural beauty. Unfortunately, there is now a major threat looming that could spell disaster for the Boundary Waters region if various proposals go forward.
Out-of-state mining companies have been applying for permits to open sulfide mines near the Boundary Waters, mines that are sure to leave a toxic legacy that would contaminate the clear, clean waters with sulfuric acid and other waste minerals, killing fish and wildlife and damaging ecosystems.
This would be a severe and potentially irreversible blow to the ecosystem of the Boundary Waters, and something we must stop.
Fortunately, there is precedent for an active public to prevent dangerous mining such as this. As detailed in a recent MinnPost article, “A look inside the campaign that killed a sulfide mine at Yellowstone’s door,” a potentially disastrous gold mine scheduled for creation just outside of Yellowstone National Park was shut down in the mid-90s after a major outcry from citizens and activists, as well as a revelation of the mining company’s unsafe waste-disposal practices. My work with Environment Minnesota is devoted to making sure the same will happen to the mines proposed for the Boundary Waters.
To protect the Boundary Waters from toxic mining, I urge the president to make the watershed off-limits to sulfide mining.
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