Mining the Boundary Waters Threatens Human Rights

Understanding the Issue 

I’ve grown up hearing about the beauty of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA) and how the expanse of untouched nature has genuinely changed people’s lives. As a young girl, I have fond memories of canoeing and camping deep in the wilderness, and remembering the absolute awe I felt, immersed in the waters and woods, hearing the call of the loons. The 1.1-million-acre nature reserve offers an escape from reality and a way to deeply connect with the natural world. The land originally belonged to the Anishinaabe people and was vital to their transportation and livelihoods before the arrival of fur traders from Europe, who began to settle the region, displacing the Indigenous people. The fight to maintain the sanctity of these lands has been generations-long and continues today. 

H.J. Res 140 is currently awaiting a vote on the Senate floor; this vote could come at any time this spring. This resolution threatens the health of the BWCA and the surrounding communities of Northeastern Minnesota. On January 12, 2026, Rep. Pete Stauber introduced a Joint Resolution that uses the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to overturn the Boundary Waters mining ban. 

If successful, this would pave the way for Twin Metals, a Chilean-owned company, to proceed with its mining leases to build a copper mine on Birch Lake near the BWCA. This type of mining has never been done in the state of Minnesota. The interconnected lakes and rivers create a fragile watershed where pollution in one area can quickly spread throughout the entire ecosystem. 

A 2026 scientific study shows that this type of mining generates waste rock full of sulfates, which, when exposed to air and water, becomes sulfuric acid, and leaches toxins like heavy metals into the surrounding water. Because 100% of copper mines experience spills or accidental releases, it is highly unlikely that the BWCA would remain safe from pollutants if this resolution is passed. Pollution from this mine would flow directly into the wilderness, impacting all downstream landscapes, including Quetico Provincial Park and Voyageurs National Park. 

Supporters of the Twin Metals mine argue that the mine would create jobs for Minnesotans and revitalize the regional economy. However, a 2020 Harvard economics study shows that more jobs and more income in the region are generated by protecting public lands rather than sulfide-ore copper mining. The mines would have a negative effect on the regional economy in terms of both employment and income due to the negative impact of mining on the recreational industry and on in-migration to BCWA areas. The study indicates fewer jobs and less income resulting from a mining project than if the Boundary Waters were left alone. 

There are more than thirty businesses that are in the direct path of pollution, meaning places like outfitters, camps, and resorts would be devastated if a Twin Metals mine were built. The region is also essential for tribal communities connected to this special place to harvest rice, fish, and exercise their treaty rights all of which depend on the purity of the water. More than 350 businesses in the Boundary Water Business Coalition have voted against this resolution, to protect their economy and livelihoods. 

The Link Between Nature and Human Rights 

How does this bill that threatens a nature reserve in turn threaten our human rights? To answer this question, we can look at the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution to add the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment to the UDHR. This means governments have a responsibility to protect ecosystems that sustain human life and health. 

H.J. Res 140 also goes against the right to water and sanitation. The UN states that everyone is entitled to sufficient, safe, acceptable, and affordable water supply. Because 100% of copper mines have accidental spills or releases, the purity of this water would be at risk. The Boundary Waters contains 20% of all the fresh water in the entire U.S. National Forest System, and eventually flows into the Great Lakes, which more than 40 million people in the United States and Canada rely on for drinking water.

Damage to the Boundary Waters ecosystem will threaten our human right to clean water. Because the Boundary Waters watershed crosses state and national borders, decisions made in Washington will have consequences for millions of people who depend on these waters. This resolution must not be passed; we must keep our water supplies clean, safe, and accessible for all.

What Can Be Done? 

So, what can you do to stop this bill? The biggest thing is to call your senators and urge them to vote against this bill. Below is a list of key Republican senators with emails linked where you can contact them and tell them to stop this violation of human rights. 

Contact them. Call. Write. Be firm. Be factual. Be respectful—and relentless. The future of one of America's greatest wilderness areas, and our right to clean water, depends on it. 

List of Senators: 

Susan Collins (ME) 
Lindsey Graham (SC) 
Lisa Murkowski (AK) 
John Boozman (AR) 
Shelley Moore Capito (WV) 
Katie Britt (AL) 
Tim Sheehy (MT) 
Steve Daines (MT) 
Thom Tillis (NC) 
Mitch McConnell (KY) 
Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS) 
Dave McCormick (PA) 
Jim Justice (WV) 
Jim Banks (IN) 
Ted Budd (NC) 
Todd Young (IN) 
Tom Cotton (AR) 
Jerry Moran (KS) 
Bill Hagerty (TN) 
Mike Rounds (SD)
 

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in this blog are the author’s only and do not reflect an official position of the University of Minnesota, the Human Rights Program, or the College of Liberal Arts. As an institution of higher education that values and promotes free speech, civil discourse, and human rights we welcome a variety of perspectives and opinions from our student contributors that are consistent with these values.