The U.S. Senate passed H.J. Res. 140 on April 16, a resolution led by House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), to overturn the Biden administration’s withdrawal of 225,504 acres in the Superior National Forest from mineral exploration and development. The resolution had previously passed the U.S. House of Representatives on January 21.
The legislation is seen as significant for domestic production of critical minerals and national supply chain security, especially as demand for such resources continues to grow.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) said, “I commend the Senate’s passage of this resolution. America must increase domestic production of critical minerals, secure our domestic supply chains and end reliance on foreign adversaries for our mineral needs. Minnesota is blessed with abundant mineral resources that could help meet these goals. This legislation restores project sponsors' ability to pursue state and federal permitting processes to potentially develop these minerals. I applaud Mr. Stauber for his tireless work on behalf of his district and his state. We must support responsible development of our natural resources, our domestic industries and the American worker.”
Stauber called the passage a major victory for Minnesota families and workers: “Never again can any Democrat President or administration unilaterally ban mining in this vital portion of the Superior National Forest, unilaterally killing jobs and locking away trillions of dollars of critical minerals essential to our way of life.” He added that his bill does not allow mining in the Boundary Waters or its buffer zone nor weaken environmental safeguards but returns decisions to established permitting processes guided by science.
According to information provided with the announcement, northern Minnesota's Duluth Complex contains nearly eight billion tons of critical minerals—potentially representing most U.S reserves for nickel, cobalt, copper, and platinum-group metals if developed.
Background details note that in January 2022 two long-standing mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota were canceled by the Biden administration; then Public Land Order (PLO) 7917 signed in January 2023 withdrew over 225 thousand acres from federal leasing for twenty years. The new resolution eliminates PLO 7917 under provisions from the Congressional Review Act but does not mandate any specific project—rather it allows environmental review processes to proceed as usual.
