The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two mineral leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, opening the popular wilderness and recreation area up to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups. The department's Bureau of Land
WASHINGTON, May 15 - The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two mineral leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, opening the popular wilderness and recreation area up to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups.
"Mining strategic metals in the United States is beneficial to national security, national and local economies, and job creation," the Interior Department's assistant secretary Joe Balash said in a statement. The Obama administration in 2016 had implemented a moratorium on new mineral development in the area while it would conduct an extensive environmental impact statement analysis to determine whether 234,000 acres of the watershed around Boundary Waters should be withdrawn from mining for up to 20 years.
The BLM said it got more than 39,000 comments during the 41 day EA review, which informed its decision.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Trump 'very surprised' about subpoena for his son Donald Trump Jr.Pres. Trump told ABC's jonkarl he was 'very surprised' the Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenaed Donald Trump Jr. 'My son is a very good person, works very hard, the last thing he needs is Washington, D.C. He would rather not ever be involved.'
Read more »
Senate Intelligence Committee subpoenas Donald Trump Jr. over Trump Tower Moscow testimonyThe Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee has subpoenaed President Donald Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., to answer questions about his claim to have just limited knowledge of an ultimately aborted plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Read more »
Donald Trump Jr. subpoenaed by Senate committee for further testimony on campaign’s Russia contactsThe panel wants to speak to the president’s son a second time for their ongoing investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Read more »
Trump: Biden 2020 reminds me of Trump 2016In an exclusive interview with POLITICO, the president predicted the former vice president would steamroll Democratic rivals who 'aren’t registering.'
Read more »