After a rushed vote pushed through by GOP leadership, the House failed to stop toxic mining in the watershed of Minnesota's Boundary Waters — by just a few votes.
That narrow margin matters.
In the final hours before the vote, Sierra Club supporters along with partner organizations flooded Congress with thousands of messages. Their voices forced a real fight. This didn't pass quietly. And without that pressure, the margin would have been far worse.
The Boundary Waters — the most visited wilderness area in the U.S. — spans a million acres of lakes and forests and borders Voyageurs National Park. Yet Congress is pushing to allow toxic sulfide mining along the lakes and streams that flow into the wilderness, risking permanent contamination from heavy metals that no cleanup can reverse.
This attack isn't happening in isolation. It's part of a broader, coordinated assault on our public lands. In just the past year, we've seen National Park Service rangers pushed out, attempts to sell off public lands, and proposals to cut roads through pristine forests. And other beloved places are likely next.
The Senate vote could happen with little warning. This phase of the fight is tougher, faster, and far more resource-intensive. We need to escalate.
Your donation right now fuels what comes next:
Rapid-response Senate advocacy
Direct pressure on key senators
Digital organizing to mobilize more people for our fights
