A proposal that would lift a 20-year mining ban near the Boundary Waters is on its way to President Donald Trump’s desk for final signature. It passed the Senate Thursday by a single vote.
The repeal was spearheaded by Minnesota Republican U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, who represents the area where the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is located. Mining supporters say it will jump-start a second mining boom, boosting the economy. Opponents argue it's a gamble at the cost of irreparable damage to the wilderness area.
One of the groups that opposed repealing the ban is the Minnesota Legislature's Native American Caucus. In a statement, the caucus called the Senate vote, “A dark day for our people and homelands” and an “assault” on tribal sovereignty.
State Rep. Shelley Buck, DFL-Maplewood, is part of that caucus. She said she and her colleagues see the world differently than those in favor of mining near the BWCA.
"The water, the plants, the animals — they’re our relatives,” Buck said. “Waters here in Minnesota especially are very sacred and important to us as Dakota people.”
She added that lifting the mining ban also interferes with treaties.
“When things happen to those waters and those lands that contaminate what we get out of them, we're not able to eat and sustain ourselves like the treaties say we are allowed to.”
Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.
