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: