Environmental groups are pushing Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz and state lawmakers to put up a firewall to the Trump administration’s push for mining near the state’s pristine Boundary Waters.
The fight over the proposed nickel and copper mine near the sprawling wilderness area could end up serving as a prime example of conservation groups seeking relief at the state level to curb Trump administration policies.
But it’s not a slam dunk in a state where the Democratic Party doesn’t have a unified stance on mining and some lawmakers walk a fine line between supporting projects to boost the economy while also prioritizing environmental protection.
“Most state elected officials do not want to touch this,” said Chris Knopf, executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. “Candidly … it’s cultural, and it’s about money that supports candidates.”
