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119-hr-588119th Congress

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

Sponsored By: Representative McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]

Introduced

Summary

Would withdraw about 225,500 acres in Minnesota's Rainy River Watershed from mining, leasing, and public land entry to protect the Boundary Waters and Voyageurs National Park.

Show full summary

It would also require the withdrawal map be available to the public, apply the withdrawal immediately to future federal land acquisitions inside the mapped area, and let the Forest Service permit limited removal of sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite when those removals are not detrimental to water, air, or forest health.

  • Visitors and ecosystems: Protects water and habitat inside the Boundary Waters Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park by blocking most new mining and leasing across the mapped watershed.
  • Mining and mineral operators: Removes the area from mining and mineral leasing laws but allows the Forest Service to approve limited material removal if it does not harm water, air, or forest health.
  • Public access and future lands: Requires the map to be kept on file for public inspection and makes any federal land acquired inside the map immediately subject to the withdrawal.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Limits on mining near Boundary Waters

If enacted, the bill would block new mining claims, mineral leasing, and land disposals in a mapped area. It would cover about 225,504 acres in Minnesota’s Rainy River Watershed. The area is shown on a federal map dated January 31, 2023. Existing valid rights would be honored. The Forest Service could allow limited removal of sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, or taconite. It would require a finding that water, air, and forest habitat would not be harmed. Any land the U.S. later acquires inside the map would be withdrawn the same way. The map would be kept on file and open for public inspection.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]

MN • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

    TN • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Connolly, Gerald E. [D-VA-11]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Morrison, Kelly [D-MN-3]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]

    ME • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 1/21/2025

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 2/12/2025

  • Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 2/12/2025

  • Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/18/2025

  • Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 3/26/2025

  • Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/24/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 10/26/2026

  • Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 1/14/2026

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 1/20/2026

  • Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 2/3/2026

  • Rep. Ross, Deborah K. [D-NC-2]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 5/11/2026

  • Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 5/13/2026

  • Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 6/3/2026

  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 7/20/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/3/2026

  • Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/27/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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