Should mining be allowed in the BWCA watershed?
"The day after Gov. Mark Dayton laid out his opposition to mining on state lands near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, mining opponents looked ahead to a pending federal decision that will have further bearing on whether copper-nickel mines are to be developed within the watershed of the protected wilderness," writes MPR News reporter Dan Kraker.
At issue are two federal mineral leases that Twin Metals Minnesota holds near Birch Lake and the South Kawishiwi River, southeast of Ely, Minn. Those leases expired at the end of 2013, and the company's application to renew those leases has been pending with the federal Bureau of Land Management for more than three years.
Today's Question: Should mining be allowed in the BWCA watershed?
Further reading: Water coverage from MPR News
Grow the Future of Public Media
MPR News is Member supported public media. Show your support today, donate, and ensure access to local news and in-depth conversations for everyone.