Many people don’t realize that the Boundary Waters is probably the most continually controversial piece of land in the country. People have fought over it for more than 100 years, and there’s every indication it will continue to be controversial well into the future. Here’s why.
Last week, Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness sued the Trump administration for the second time. As with our previous lawsuit, we are trying to stop the illegal renewal of two expired mineral leases that Twin Metals needs to open a copper-sulfide mine at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW).
These leases had expired, but once Trump took office, the new administration resurrected them, effectively rolling out the red carpet for what the EPA has named the most polluting industry in the country.
The fight over the proposed copper-sulfide mines near the Boundary Waters has become one of the biggest environmental controversies in the country. Copper-sulfide mining has a near-perfect track record of contaminating groundwater, polluting surrounding lakes and rivers, and causing long-term damage to entire ecosystems.
In a water-rich environment like northeastern Minnesota, it would be a disaster. Despite the dangers, some believe copper-sulfide mining — which has never been done in Minnesota — has the potential to revitalize the economy of the region. But it’s a dubious claim at best.
And for more than a decade now, there have been protests, newspaper editorials, campaign promises, studies, proposed legislation, and more, all hovering around the proposed mines. Just when it seems like environmentalists can claim victory, a month later the mines appear to be all but inevitable. It can be hard to keep up with all the ups and downs.
The Boundary Waters, which is the nation’s most-visited wilderness area, has been engulfed in a political firestorm. For those who follow the issue, either casually or closely, it’s easy to wonder: When will this be resolved?
The Boundary Waters: A Century of Conflict
Most visitors to the Boundary Waters don’t realize they’re traveling in what is probably the most continually controversial piece of land in the United States. Far from being a pristine wilderness that was simply set aside for all to enjoy, factions have fought over every protected acre of the Boundary Waters.
At the heart of the conflict is the fact that this is an area that is rich in both economic resources — iron, copper, nickel, timber, fur, and hydropower — and natural beauty.
![Winter Boundary Waters Clothing Winter Boundary Waters Clothing](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2015/12/Winter-Boundary-Waters-Clothing.jpg)
The Boundary Waters did not just happen. At least two international treaties, three presidential proclamations, five acts of Congress, two executive orders, three Supreme Court rulings, and many management plans by the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies guide the use and care of the wilderness so many treasure today.
Timber
The modern history of the Boundary Waters began more than 100 years ago when Minnesota’s Forest Commissioner set aside about half a million acres of forest in northeastern Minnesota and protected it from the timber industry.
He did this in the middle of a logging boom, and to many, the move was an economic straightjacket and an act of government overreach. These sentiments persisted with the creation of the Superior National Forest and would echo through the decades to come.
Roads
Even when used for public recreation, issues of accessibility and what kind of recreation was acceptable quickly became flashpoints. By the 1920s, northeastern Minnesota was a destination for outdoor canoe adventurers. Most arrived by automobile, and this led to tensions over how far these roads would extend.
When a plan to build a road connecting Ely to the Gunflint Trail (roughly where the Kekekkabec Trail now runs) took shape, conservation groups took action. Such a project, they warned, would spoil the wilderness people were coming from all over the country to experience. Ultimately, advocates of a roadless wilderness won. New management policies were adopted, and the road was never built.