President Trump signs mining ban reversal into law
DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Congressman Pete Stauber’s mining ban reversal bill—passed earlier this month—has now been signed into law by President Trump.
The Senate gave it final approval a couple of weeks ago, overturning a Biden-era 20-year prohibition on mining in a portion of the Superior National Forest near the Boundary Waters.
Stauber, R-Minnesota, said the bill—passed under the Congressional Review Act as H.J. Res. 140—ends what he called an “illegal mining ban” and clears the way for proposed projects to pursue state and federal environmental review and permitting.
The area near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness has been at the center of a long-running debate over mining and water quality.
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Stauber also praised Trump’s support for domestic mining and said reopening the area for potential development could help access critical minerals used in manufacturing and clean-energy technologies.
“President Trump is the most pro-mining President in American history, and I thank him for his support in championing Minnesota’s union miners and workers. As the result of our shared commitment to American mineral dominance, Minnesota’s mighty Iron Range has a strong future ahead. It’s back at the center of a powerful economic comeback with another century’s worth of mining, and I’m proud to have delivered this hard-fought victory for our state and nation.”
Democratic senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar argued against passage of the bill. Smith said it would be “devastating to the wilderness.”
RELATED: Sen. Smith & Klobuchar Urging Senate to Reject Mining Bill near Boundary Waters
Stauber, who represents northeastern Minnesota, including the Iron Range, framed the law as a victory for union miners and an economic boost for the region.
“Minnesota’s mighty Iron Range has a strong future ahead,” he said, calling it “the center of a powerful economic comeback with another century’s worth of mining.”
The bill’s signing marks another high-profile shift in federal policy around mineral development on public lands, with supporters arguing the change strengthens domestic supply chains and critics warning it could increase environmental risk in a sensitive watershed.
RELATED: Concerns raised about mining near Boundary Waters
The law also makes it so that the ban can never again be reinstated.
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