H.R. 588 — Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

This section states congressional findings on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), a 1,090,000-acre federal wilderness area within the Superior National Forest designated under the Wilderness Act of 1964 and further protected by the 1978 BWCAW Act, which prohibits mining in the BWCAW and on 220,000 acres of surrounding national forest lands. The findings describe the area's natural features (nearly 2,000 lakes, 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 1,500 cultural sites, and 150 miles of international border); tribal treaty rights; the Rainy River Watershed's water resources; risks to Outstanding Resource Value Waters from sulfide-ore copper mining (including acid mine drainage and 100% failure rate of water treatment at 14 U.S. copper mines studied); threats to BWCAW, Voyageurs National Park, air/water quality, habitat, and tourism economy (potentially 1,500-4,600 jobs and $100-$900 million income over 20 years if mining banned); and prior Forest Service and Interior Department actions, including a 2023 withdrawal of 225,504 acres (Public Land Order 7917).

This section withdraws approximately 225,504 acres of federal lands and waters in the Rainy River Watershed of the Superior National Forest in Minnesota, as depicted on a specified map, from (1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under public land laws; (2) location, entry, and patent under mining laws; and (3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws, subject to valid existing rights. The withdrawal applies immediately to any lands or interests in lands within the designated area acquired by the United States after enactment. The Forest Service chief may permit removal of sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite from these national forest system lands if such removal is not detrimental to water quality, air quality, and forest habitat health in the watershed.