Dear John,

Today in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, U.S. Representative Stauber, Chair of the Natural Resource Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources, hosted a field hearing in which he, other House Members, and witnesses advocated for toxic sulfide-ore mining directly adjacent to and upstream from the Boundary Waters.

Federal lands and minerals in this area within the headwaters of the Boundary Waters were protected in January by a Public Land Order signed by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Nonetheless, Rep. Stauber invited a panel of pro-mining and anti-Wilderness colleagues, mining industry representatives and mining supporters to testify. Rep. Stauber’s witnesses did not include those who would speak for the Boundary Waters and for the majority of Minnesotans.

Joe Baltich from Ely, Minnesota was one of Rep. Stauber’s handpicked witnesses. Mr. Baltich promoted mining lands and minerals inside the Boundary Waters Wilderness itself! We already know how disastrous sulfide-ore mining would be adjacent to our Boundary Waters where polluted water would flow downstream through the heart of the Wilderness. But, imagine actually advocating for a mine inside the Wilderness boundaries.

Stauber’s witness described how he would prefer our government to start “pecking and pounding at rocks” in Lake One - one of the most popular entry points to the Wilderness in the Ely area. Mr. Baltich stressed, “Wouldn’t it be better to have the infrastructure [mine] here and now instead of waiting until - oh my god we’re being invaded.” He went further saying “...we’ve gotta go and start digging up rocks and wreck everything.”

If this is the type of witness Rep. Stauber brings before Congress to testify, there is no telling where he will stop. That’s why legislation to permanently protect this Wilderness forever is critical.

Please take a moment to send a message to your United States Senators and Representative asking them to support Congresswoman Betty McCollum’s bill, HR 668 - which will protect the Boundary Waters from sulfide-ore copper mining forever. Take action here >>

P.S. Please send a message to your elected officials urging them to protect the Boundary Waters permanently.

You are receiving this e-mail because you have supported the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters - a project of Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness.

Save the Boundary Waters
P.O. Box 625
Ely, MN 55731
United States

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