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

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

This bill protects and preserves approximately 225,504 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest in Minnesota from certain mining, such as sulfide-ore copper mining. (The area is upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.)

Specifically, the bill withdraws those acres from 

• entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
• location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
• operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

However, the Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.

Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States must be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.