Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

Bill: 117-hr-2794
Sponsor: Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
Introduced: 2021-04-22 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Air quality
Forests, forestry, trees
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Mining
Minnesota
Water quality
Watersheds
Wilderness and natural areas, wildlife refuges, wild rivers, habitats
Wildlife conservation and habitat protection

Summary:
action_date: 2021-04-22
text: 

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

 
This bill withdraws approximately 234,328 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest in Minnesota from 
 
 
entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
 
location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and 
 
operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
 
 
The area is adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area. Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States shall be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.
 
The Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.

action_date: 2022-12-14
text: 

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

 
This bill withdraws certain federal lands and waters in Minnesota from mining and related activities.
 
Specifically, the bill withdraws approximately 234,328 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest from 
 
 
entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
 
location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and 
 
operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
 
 
The area is adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area. Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States shall be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.
 
The Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 457.
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-634.
action_date: 2022-12-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 117-634.
action_date: 2022-07-13
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 16.
action_date: 2022-07-13
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2022-07-13
text: Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands Discharged.
action_date: 2022-07-13
text: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged.
action_date: 2022-05-24
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2021-06-08
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands.
action_date: 2021-04-22
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2021-04-22
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2021-04-22
text: Introduced in House