To: United States Forest Service, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Action needed! Send your Comment to the Forest Service to Protect the Boundary Waters
This campaign has ended.
I strongly support the proposed mineral withdrawal to protect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ("Boundary Waters"). The threats posed by sulfide-ore copper mining are unjustifiable in the watershed of such a sensitive and important area.
The Boundary Waters is America's most popular and water-rich wilderness area. Its 1.1 million acres contain more than 1,000 pristine lakes and 1,200 miles of river and stream, offering unmatched fishing, hunting, and other public lands wilderness recreational opportunities for all Americans to enjoy. Priceless and irreplaceable, the Boundary Waters must not be put at risk of perpetual pollution from the most toxic industry in America.
During environmental review of the proposed withdrawal, please be sure to thoroughly address the following:
Cleanest water quality in North America - The lakes, rivers, and streams of the Boundary Waters watershed are among the cleanest waters in North America, and are especially sensitive to acids and heavy-metals found in copper mine pollution;
America's most visited & accessible wilderness destination - The Boundary Waters is the most popular wilderness area in the U.S., and the largest east of the Rockies and north of the Everglades. Visitors travel through it by boat or canoe, and can choose routes to avoid having to carry their gear, making the Boundary Waters more accessible to families, children and people with physical limitations; and
Economics - The Boundary Waters supports a strong, sustainable, growing outdoor recreation industry in Minnesota. It is a principal driver of the $850 Million, 17,000-job recreation economy in Northeastern Minnesota, it contributes to hundreds of manufacturing jobs, and it helps keep and attract talent to Minnesota.
I urge the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw the approximately 234,328 acres of national forest lands to protect the Boundary Waters from the threat of endless sulfide-ore copper mining pollution. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
The Boundary Waters is America's most popular and water-rich wilderness area. Its 1.1 million acres contain more than 1,000 pristine lakes and 1,200 miles of river and stream, offering unmatched fishing, hunting, and other public lands wilderness recreational opportunities for all Americans to enjoy. Priceless and irreplaceable, the Boundary Waters must not be put at risk of perpetual pollution from the most toxic industry in America.
During environmental review of the proposed withdrawal, please be sure to thoroughly address the following:
Cleanest water quality in North America - The lakes, rivers, and streams of the Boundary Waters watershed are among the cleanest waters in North America, and are especially sensitive to acids and heavy-metals found in copper mine pollution;
America's most visited & accessible wilderness destination - The Boundary Waters is the most popular wilderness area in the U.S., and the largest east of the Rockies and north of the Everglades. Visitors travel through it by boat or canoe, and can choose routes to avoid having to carry their gear, making the Boundary Waters more accessible to families, children and people with physical limitations; and
Economics - The Boundary Waters supports a strong, sustainable, growing outdoor recreation industry in Minnesota. It is a principal driver of the $850 Million, 17,000-job recreation economy in Northeastern Minnesota, it contributes to hundreds of manufacturing jobs, and it helps keep and attract talent to Minnesota.
I urge the Secretary of the Interior to withdraw the approximately 234,328 acres of national forest lands to protect the Boundary Waters from the threat of endless sulfide-ore copper mining pollution. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Why is this important?
This is the most important action we are asking you to take since we launched this Campaign. In December agencies took steps to protect America’s most visited wilderness by denying two mining leases and starting a process that could grant long-term protection by putting areas around the Boundary Waters off-limits to sulfide-ore copper mining. Today is the first day of an environmental review of the Boundary Waters watershed -- a review meant to identify what makes the Boundary Waters so unique, so clean, and so sensitive to pollution. The review will ultimately help determine whether the Boundary Waters is the wrong place for America’s most toxic industry: sulfide-ore copper mining.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is America's most popular wilderness area. Covering over one million acres, with more than 1,000 pristine lakes and 1,200 miles of rivers and streams, the Boundary Waters offers unmatched fishing, hunting, and other public lands wilderness recreational opportunities for all Americans to enjoy. The Boundary Waters is also an integral part of an $850 million-dollar per year outdoor recreation economy in Northeastern Minnesota. It is our crown jewel and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually. The Boundary Waters is priceless, irreplaceable and should not be put at risk of perpetual pollution from the most toxic industry in America.
Thank you and please spread the word to your friends, families and networks so as many people as possible take action during this critical window for public input.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is America's most popular wilderness area. Covering over one million acres, with more than 1,000 pristine lakes and 1,200 miles of rivers and streams, the Boundary Waters offers unmatched fishing, hunting, and other public lands wilderness recreational opportunities for all Americans to enjoy. The Boundary Waters is also an integral part of an $850 million-dollar per year outdoor recreation economy in Northeastern Minnesota. It is our crown jewel and is visited by hundreds of thousands of people annually. The Boundary Waters is priceless, irreplaceable and should not be put at risk of perpetual pollution from the most toxic industry in America.
Thank you and please spread the word to your friends, families and networks so as many people as possible take action during this critical window for public input.