Take Action Now: Defend Protections for the Boundary Waters

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, one million acres of wilderness, is one of the premier destinations for canoeing in North America and, in my opinion, the best place in the United States. The Donald Trump administration and Republicans in Congress want to remove protections from it.

Legislation to do so has already passed the House and will be voted on in the Senate soon. Unfortunately, they are attempting to use a legal loophole that has never been used in this way before to avoid the filibuster. This means they would need only 51 votes instead of the normal 60 required for most legislation.

We need your help.

You can help by calling your senators.

To call your senators, contact the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

When you call, ask your senator to vote no on any resolution that would overturn Boundary Waters protections in the Boundary Waters watershed. Republicans are attempting to use the Congressional Review Act to remove protections from the Boundary Waters’ watershed so that they can push a mine through. The mine would be owned by a Chilean company owned by the billionaire who bought a mansion in Washington, D.C., and then immediately rented it to one of Trump’s children.

Currently, the Boundary Waters watershed is protected from copper-sulfide mining. Copper-sulfide mining has been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency as the most toxic industry in the United States. Every copper-sulfide mine in the world has polluted. It has a 100% track record of pollution.

The Boundary Waters is America’s most visited wilderness area, with more than 2,000 lakes connected by portages and rivers. Millions of people have experienced wilderness canoeing here and formed bonds with this place that cannot be replaced. Mining in its headwaters would pollute the area to a point where restoration would be nearly impossible.

Approximately 57% of Minnesotans oppose copper-sulfide mining in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area watershed. Opposition has remained consistent in polls for over a decade, with 68% of voters statewide favoring permanent legal protection for the area. Even in the 8th Congressional District, where the Boundary Waters is located, 56% oppose copper-sulfide mining.

If you’ve been following the news, you may have noticed the federal actions that have followed our governor, Tim Walz, running against Trump in the presidential election. Part of that retribution resulted in the deaths of poet Renee Good and outdoor enthusiast and Veterans Hospital nurse Alex Pretti. Attempting to remove protections from the Boundary Waters is part of this same pattern.

We can only stop this with your help. It’s especially important to call your senators if you live outside the state of Minnesota.

Thank you for anything that you can do. We don’t want to lose the hard-won protections for this special place devoted to canoeists.

To call your senators, contact the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

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