The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is America's most visited recreational wilderness. With more than 1.1 million acres of unspoiled woodlands and pristine waters, the Boundary Waters is considered a world-class destination for hunting and fishing. It is also the lifeblood of Northeastern Minnesota's tourism industry, which generates 852 million dollars annually and supports 18,000 jobs in the outdoor industry.
Currently, this unique ecosystem and the communities it supports are threatened by sulfide-ore copper mining proposed by the Chilean company, Antofagasta. The EPA recognizes this type of mining as America's most toxic industry. Byproducts of this risky mining include hazardous pollutants such as sulfuric acid and heavy metals, which harm aquatic plants and fish. This could permanently pollute the Rainy River Watershed, damaging our freshwater resources.
Energy is building across the conservation and outdoor community against these proposed mines. “Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters” is a coalition of hunters and anglers concerned with permanently protecting the Rainy River Drainage Basin. Momentum is gaining, with the recent addition of “Hall of Fame” anglers and hundreds of sportsmen and women from the region. As gamekeepers and outdoor-minded people we must come together throughout the country in support of this. Whether you live in New York, Florida, Kansas, Oregon or in Minnesota where this will hit the hardest, you should be very concerned about this!
These public lands belong to all of us. Once precedence is set, this could easily happen in your backyard. We only have one chance to save this national treasure! Please sign the petition to permanently protect the Boundary Waters at https://sportsmenbwca.org/.
