Department of the Interior removes 225,504 acres from mining and drilling leasing eligibility.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed Public Land Order 7917, protecting 225,504 acres of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from mineral and geothermal leasing for the next 20 years. This order was finalized after first being submitted to the Bureau of Land Management in October 2021. The proposal then underwent two periods of public comment, which received 225,000 individual responses, before holding three public meetings and conducting an environmental assessment through the Forest Service.
“Protecting a place like Boundary Waters is key to supporting the health of the watershed and its surrounding wildlife, upholding our Tribal trust and treaty responsibilities, and boosting the local recreation economy,” said Secretary Haaland. “With an eye toward protecting this special place for future generations, I have made this decision using the best-available science and extensive public input.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Haaland as she constructs environmental policies and that her decisions best reflect the desires of the American people.
- For the Department of the Interior as they develop strategies for environmental preservation.
Sources: Department of the Interior
