Hi Friend,

I wanted to take a moment to lift up two stories from a treasured public wilderness where the Trump administration wants to open the door to toxic mining pollution.

Tucked against the Canadian border in northern Minnesota is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness — a vast network of thousands of clear lakes settled into mossy granite basins, separated by birch and pine forest. Visitors paddle across windswept lakes, then drift through still bogs of wild rice. In summer, they carry their boats between open waters, and in winter, they dart through trees on dogsled. This photo feature celebrates the wild beauty of the Boundary Waters and reveals the threats it now faces.

Joseph Goldstein is one young Minnesotan with a deep connection to the Boundary Waters — it lent him strength and inspiration during a 4-year battle with leukemia, which started at age 13. For more than a decade, Goldstein has been advocating to save the place that helped save him. Read more about his inspirational journey and work to preserve the BWCA.

Lastly, thank you to everyone who made a recent gift to Earthjustice — you are supporting our fight to save the Boundary Waters.

Sincerely,
The Team at Earthjustice


Correction: The previous version of the email below incorrectly characterized the scope of our Boundary Waters litigation. Our lawsuit is defending the cancellation of the Twin Metals mine leases, and our public advocacy work is aimed at keeping the Trump administration from overturning the 20-year mining ban in the region. The version below has been corrected.


On Fri, Oct 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM Earthjustice <[email protected]> wrote:


Dear Friend,

The Trump administration is attempting to greenlight a sulfide ore mine that could irreversibly poison the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in yet another attack on our nation’s public lands.

Northern Minnesota's Boundary Waters are a vast network of more than 1,000 lakes and 1,200 miles of rivers and streams. These waters are so pure that visitors will often drink straight from them. But the Trump administration wants to throw that away and open this watershed up to toxic mining.

Earthjustice is fighting the Trump administration in court to stop the Twin Metals Mine and uphold a 20-year mining ban that has protected the Boundary Waters for decades.

Your support helps fund our lawsuits against Trump’s unprecedented attacks on the environment. We’re prepared to meet this moment across the country —  as our public lands, our communities’ health, and our hard-won progress towards a sustainable future comes under threat.

Please, donate today to help our 200+ lawyers continue their work on behalf of our partners and clients for free.

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What’s special about the Boundary Waters?

- The BWCA is part of the Superior National Forest, which contains 20% of all the fresh water in the National Forest System, dispersed across small and big lakes, rivers, creeks, and bogs. All that fresh water is constantly moving and flowing into itself, meaning any threat to its headwaters endangers the entire network.

- The northeastern Minnesota tourism industry built around the wilderness area supports 17,000 jobs and brings in approximately $1.1 billion annually. In the summer, recreationalists paddle canoes, camp, and fish. In the winter they snowshoe, dogsled and icefish.

- The ecosystem is notably wild and thriving. The waters are clear and visitors will sometimes drink from them directly. The area is a dark sky sanctuary, often sporting vibrant northern lights displays. 

What’s so dangerous about the Twin Metals Mine? 

- Sulfide ore mining produces sulfuric acid, which could permanently pollute and alter the waters feeding this ecosystem.  

- There has never been a sulfide ore mine in Minnesota. In fact, sulfide ore mining has never been done safely anywhere, let alone at the headwaters of an interconnected lake system.  


What can I do?

For years, advocates for the Boundary Waters have successfully fought off sulfide ore mining in the region. Earthjustice is fighting to keep the Trump administration from reversing a 20-year mining ban and reinstating leases that would make it possible for the Twin Metals mining project to move forward.  

At Earthjustice, we represent our clients free of charge. We go to court to protect our precious biodiversity, keep our public lands wild, and make our daily lives healthier — all because supporters like you trust us and offer their time, energy, and resources. Donate today and help fund our lawsuits against the Trump administration.

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In partnership,

The Team at Earthjustice

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If you aren’t able to make a donation today, we understand, and we hope you continue to fight for our planet and our communities in other ways.

Sincerely,
The Team at Earthjustice

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