Save the Boundary Waters says a new exploratory drilling proposal near Birch Lake could open the door to a future copper mine. Executive Director Ingrid Lyons explains the situation:

Lyons says part of the mineral deposit sits beneath Birch Lake, and noise and light from 24-hour drilling could impact wilderness users:

While federal land in the watershed has a 20-year mineral withdrawal, the proposal shows a major gap — state lands are still open to copper mining. She says a bill in the Legislature would close that gap by banning copper mining permits on state lands upstream of the Boundary Waters.

Lyons encourages Minnesotans to reach out to lawmakers and get involved.

Our full conversation with Save the Boundary Waters Executive Director Ingrid Lyons:

The Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources has awarded new grant funding to five soil and water conservation districts as part of its Keep it Clean Program, an initiative designed to reduce waste left on frozen lakes during winter recreation.

Two of the selected districts sit in the far north: Beltrami County and Lake of the Woods County, where ice fishing draws thousands of anglers each year. Local officials say the funding will help tackle a growing concern: trash, debris, and wastewater left behind on the ice that can end up polluting lakes once the thaw arrives.

Under the program, districts will use the grants to boost education and outreach, expand cleanup events, and promote proper disposal practices at access points and ice roads. Awards range from twenty-four-and-a-half thousand to forty thousand dollars.

BWSR Executive Director John Jaschke says the goal is to work with winter sports communities to reduce waste and protect the water quality Minnesotans depend on.The Keep it Clean Program is funded through a one-time, two-hundred-thousand-dollar state appropriation approved earlier this year.

The Minnesota Canola Council and University of Minnesota Extension will be holding a Canola Symposium on Thursday, December 4 in Roseau, and canola producers across the Red River Valley are invited to attend. Event presenter Dave Grafstrom tells us more about the research he’s done, which will be discussed next week.

Grafstrom also tells us why he thinks you should attend the symposium next week.

Again, the Canola Symposium will take place on Thursday, December 4 at the Community Center in Roseau. More information can be seen on the Minnesota Canola Council website at www.mncanola.org.