Weighing in on President Trump’s Executive Order about minerals and mining
After his inauguration, President Trump signed dozens of Executive Orders. One of them is called Unleashing American Energy, and has several sections about mining.
One calls for the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to reassess any public lands withdrawals for potential revision.
You may remember the Biden administration withdrew 225,000 acres of land near the Boundary Waters from mineral exploration, and this impacts the Twin Metals project.
Jobs for Minnesotans is still having conversations about what the order means. “It underscores the urgency to domestically source these critical minerals,” shared new board chair Andy Campeau. “We are happy to work with any administration.”
Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness anticipates that the withdrawal could be changed and that mineral leases for Twin Metals could be re-instated.
Still, they remain motivated to keep protecting the BWCA. “We have three tools. Lawsuits, legislation, and citizen action,” Chris Knopf said, the Executive Director. “It’s ultimately about people.”
They have a Boundary Waters Day at the state capital on Thursday at 1:30pm.