resulting in significant negative water quality im-
pacts. 
(10) The mining of copper and other metals in 
sulfide bearing ore on Federal lands in the Superior 
National Forest, within the Rainy River Watershed, 
poses a direct and long-term threat from sulfide-ore 
mining contamination to the pristine water and air 
quality and healthy forested habitat of the Boundary 
Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs Na-
tional Park. 
(11) The likely contamination of the air, water, 
and forested habitat of the Boundary Waters Canoe 
Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park from 
the mining of copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, 
gold, and silver on Federal lands within the Rainy 
River Watershed puts at risk— 
(A) the nationally recognized natural re-
sources of the area; and 
(B) the region’s amenity-based and tour-
ism industry, which if protected by a mineral 
withdrawal, would grow by 1,500 to 4,600 more 
jobs and $100,000,000 to $900,000,000 more 
income over the next 20 years than if such min-
ing were not banned. 
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(12) In 2016, the Forest Service issued a 
Record of Decision which found ‘‘unacceptable the 
inherent potential risk that development of a region-
ally untested copper-nickel sulfide ore mine within 
the same watershed as the Boundary Waters Canoe 
Area Wilderness might cause serious and irreplace-
able harm to this unique, iconic, and irreplaceable 
wilderness area’’. The Forest Service subsequently 
proposed a 20-year mineral withdrawal of 234,328 
acres of Federal lands and waters in the Rainy 
River Watershed. 
(13) In 2018, approximately 20 months into a 
24-month review period of the Rainy River Water-
shed mineral withdrawal proposal, the Department 
of Agriculture abruptly canceled the withdrawal ap-
plication and abandoned the Environmental Assess-
ment. 
SEC. 3. WITHDRAWAL OF CERTAIN FEDERAL LANDS AND 
WATERS IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA. 
(a) DEFINITION OF MAP.—In this Act, the term 
‘‘Map’’ means the map prepared by the Forest Service en-
titled ‘‘Superior National Forest Mineral Withdrawal Ap-
plication Map’’ and dated December 5, 2016. 
(b) WITHDRAWAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(d) and subject to valid existing rights, the approximately 
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234,328 acres of Federal land and waters in the Rainy 
River Watershed of the Superior National Forest in the 
State of Minnesota, as located on the Map and described 
in the Federal Register Notice of Application for With-
drawal, dated January 19, 2017 (82 Fed. Reg. 6639), are 
hereby withdrawn from— 
(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and dis-
posal under the public land laws; 
(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining 
laws; and 
(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral 
materials, and geothermal leasing laws. 
(c) ACQUIRED LAND.—Any land or interest in land 
within the area depicted on the Map that is acquired by 
the United States after the date of enactment of this Act 
shall, on acquisition, be immediately withdrawn in accord-
ance with this section. 
(d) REMOVAL OF SAND, GRAVEL, GRANITE, IRON 
ORE, AND TACONITE.—The Chief of the Forest Service 
is authorized to permit the removal of sand, gravel, gran-
ite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system 
lands within the area depicted on the Map if the Chief 
determines that the removal is not detrimental to the 
water quality, air quality, and health of the forest habitat 
within the Rainy River Watershed. 
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(e) AVAILABILITY OF MAP.—The Map shall be kept 
on file and made available for public inspection in the ap-
propriate offices of the Forest Service and the Bureau of 
Land Management. 
Æ 
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