Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday directed two state agencies to stop permitting and environmental review work for mining projects located within in the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed.
The executive order targets the Twin Metals Minnesota underground proposal, long a target of environmental groups and a source of tension in the city of Ely.
The 90-day pause essentially runs through the November election when one of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar or Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth will be elected as the state’s top executive.
Walz dropped his bid for a third term in January.
“I am using my full executive authority to protect the waters and wildlife of the Boundary Waters and to ensure the outfitters, small businesses, and communities that depend on it continue to thrive for generations to come,” he said through a press release announcing the order. “It’s our duty as Minnesotans to ensure the sacred place remains wild, pristine, and unharmed.”
Politically, the move could have impacts on the race for his successor as Democrats have face increased scrutiny from Greater Minnesota voters in recent years. Klobuchar also voted in April against a Senate measure to overturn a federal ban on mining near the Boundary Waters.
More directly the executive action risks the party’s hold on its only remaining Iron Range seat in Senate District 3, where Sen. Grant Hauschild faces a re-election bid against Andrea Zupancich, who he defeated in 2022.
That district represents Ely and Hoyt Lakes, where two of the state’s three copper-nickel mining projects have been proposed. Democrats hold a one-seat majority in the state senate as currently comprised.
In a statement, Hauschild strongly disagreed with the Walz order, saying lawmakers should not oppose a project until it goes through the full review process.
“A decision this significant to the people of the Northland should not be made through executive order by a Governor who leaves office in a matter of months,” he said. “My constituents are sick of executive overreach by people who no longer feel accountable to the voters or the legislative process, whether that’s in St. Paul or in Washington.”
Environmental groups have long pushed the Walz administration to take executive action on the Twin Metals project, in particular.
Friends of the Boundary Waters issued a fundraising email within an hour of the governor’s announcement of the order.
“Minnesota’s governor just told his agency to write the ban,” the email read.
Among the tensions within Ely is the economics of the city and its downtown businesses. A number of outfitters in the region oppose the project because of the potential threat to the Boundary Waters, while mining advocates have said the boost in hundreds of well-paid jobs will help lift the tide.
Ely’s tourism-centered economy generally dips in the winter months, and thrives in the summer, but has shown susceptibility to other environmental factors.
Wildfires in recent years have impacted business, but this year a large one forced the closure of many Boundary Waters entry points, costing businesses large chunks of their income. One outfitter reported losing $60,000 in a two-week span due to the fires.
Walz declined to call a special session to help relieve those businesses.
