Trump Signs Law Re-opening 225,000 Acres of Minnesota National Forest to Mining
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Several Ojibwe bands hold treaty rights to hunt, fish, and gather on ceded lands in northeastern Minnesota, including areas that overlap with or are downstream from the reopened acreage. Mining activity could threaten water quality and ecosystems that tribal communities depend on for cultural practices, subsistence, and treaty-protected activities.
President Trump has signed H.J.Res. 140 into law, which disapproves a 2023 Bureau of Land Management Public Land Order. The law officially cancels the 20-year ban on mining and geothermal energy projects in northeastern Minnesota's Superior National Forest.
The U.S. Senate's vote to repeal the mining ban in the Superior National Forest reveals Washington's mounting strategic unease over critical mineral supply chains. The move reopens a mineral-rich expanse containing copper, cobalt, and nickel to potential development.
In a narrow 50-49 vote, the U.S. Senate approved H.J. Res. 140, revoking a 20-year mining protection for 225,000 acres in the Boundary Waters watershed. Environmental groups called it a 'dark day,' while supporters argue it allows for responsible development of critical minerals.
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White House Statement
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Congressional Bill H.J.Res. 140 Signed into Law
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