The U.S. Department of the Interior announced protections for the Boundary Waters Area Watershed by withdrawing more than 225,000 acres in northeastern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest from mineral and geothermal leasing.
To protect the area, its watershed and wildlife from things that could happen if mining occurs, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed Public Land Order 7917 to withdraw the acreage from disposition for the next 20 years, according to a Bureau of Land Management notice.
“The Department of the Interior takes seriously our obligations to steward public lands and waters on behalf of all Americans,” Haaland said in a Jan. 26 news release. “Protecting a place like Boundary Waters is key to supporting the health of the watershed and its surrounding wildlife, upholding our Tribal trust and treaty responsibilities and boosting the local recreation economy. With an eye toward protecting this special place for future generations, I have made this decision using the best-available science and extensive public input.”
The proposal to remove property from mineral and geothermal leasing was first submitted to the Bureau of Land Management by the Department of Agriculture's Fish and Wildlife Service in October 2021, according to the release. Before the decision was made, the agencies sought public input and the Forest Service conducted a science-based environmental assessment
After 225,000 comments, two public comment periods, three virtual public meetings and two Tribal consultations, the decision was made to remove this property from mining, the release reported
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is more than a million acres in the Superior National Forest in Minnesota. It was created in 1964, as a Federally Designated Wilderness, according to a U.S. Forest Service fact sheet.
It stretches along the International Boundary, near Canada’s Quetico and La Verendrye Provincial Parks, the fact sheet reported. The area's western border is Voyageurs National Park, and the eastern boundary is Grand Portage National Monument.
Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack applauded Haaland’s decision that protects the irreplaceable Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for the long-term health of the Rainy River watershed, according to the release.
“This landscape is an international resource renowned for its multitude of recreational opportunities and provides millions of visitors with unparalleled wilderness experiences,” he said in the release.
