Not even close: 309 to 99!
House Overwhelmingly Passes Nolan’s Superior National Forest Land Exchange Bill
Bipartisan Margin was 309-99
Under our Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill, taxpayers will receive more lakeshore, more timber, more wild rice waters, and more wetlands for public enjoyment and recreation.
Dear Friend,
By a huge, bipartisan margin of 309-99, the House last week passed my Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill – a measure to finalize the long-awaited land swap between the U.S. Forest Service and PolyMet Mining. Whether or not a mining project is ever approved, the bill is a big win for taxpayers who get more lakeshore, more timber, more wild rice waters, and 2,000 acres of additional wetlands.
In return, the Forest Service is trading public lands already surrounded by old mining sites, with no public access. PolyMet already owns the mining and mineral rights to the acres they would receive.
Click on the screen above to hear my speech on the floor of the House explaining our Superior National Forest Land Exchange bill. The map on the screen, which I used to help explain the bill to my colleagues, is directly below.
As I explained to my colleagues, the proposed PolyMet mining site is located below the Continental Divide, and the BWCA is located above the divide. And since water doesn’t flow up hill, the PolyMet site is not in the same watershed as the BWCA. Therefore, it is physically and geologically impossible for any water that flows from a PolyMet site to pollute the BWCA waters.
Northern Minnesota has the cleanest water in the state – and we are determined to keep it that way.
We’ve been mining up here on the Iron Range for more than 130 years, and our waters are the cleanest and purest in the state. Pollution increases dramatically as the Mississippi and other rivers and streams flow south through the Twin Cities. Runoff from farms and factories have even forced some communities in Western Minnesota to pipe in clean drinking water.
This map shows how pollution in the Mississippi River watershed is relatively minimal in Northern Minnesota, but begins to increase dramatically from urban lawns, industrial wastewater, and agriculture as the river flows through Central Minnesota and on through the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
As a leader in the original effort that established the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA), I’m committed to protecting ALL of our waters. And as Governor Dayton’s water quality campaign has demonstrated, there is much to do in parts of the state where mining isn’t happening.
NO mining project authorized, and NO mining in the BWCA – EVER!
Now to be clear – our land exchange bill does NOT authorize any mining project – does NOT interfere in any way with state and federal entities that must approve any mining project going forward – and does NOT affect the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCA).
In that regard, it is important to understand that the proposed PolyMet mining site is below the Continental Divide, and the BWCA is above the divide. Since PolyMet is not in the same watershed as the BWCA, it is physically and geologically impossible for any water that flows from the PolyMet site to pollute the BWCA waters.
Rigorous environmental review and wide-ranging local support across Northern Minnesota
House approval of the measure comes after seven years of rigorous environmental review for the land exchange itself – and 12 years of rigorous ongoing environmental review of the proposed PolyMet copper and nickel mining project on Minnesota’s Iron Range.
These are all big reasons why the land exchange enjoys such overwhelming support from communities, business leaders, civic groups, economic development organizations, unions and folks all across our region – along with a bipartisan majority of our Minnesota Congressional Delegation, our two U.S. Senators, our Governor, and Democratic and Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature.
Advancing good-paying jobs and America’s ‘green’ economy
And by removing a key impediment to the PolyMet project, the bill is a win for the future of copper and nickel mining and good paying mining jobs on Minnesota’s Iron Range. The Range needs those good jobs, and our Nation needs the strategic minerals absolutely critical to our defense, technology, and medical research – and to advancing our “green” economy and addressing the challenge of global warming and climate change.
Our bipartisan land exchange bill must still clear the Senate and be signed by the President. But overwhelming passage by the House is a big step forward in ensuring generations of good-paying 21st Century mining jobs here in Northern Minnesota.
We will keep you posted as events proceed. Meanwhile, I want to hear your thoughts. Feel free to contact any of our offices listed below or send me an email.
Sincerely,
You can read the full letter HERE.