Walz mining ban near Boundary Waters deepens rift with labor allies
Gov. Tim Walz signed Executive Order 26-10 on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, banning new nonferrous mining near the Boundary Waters and targeting the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed.[1]
The order directs the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Pollution Control Agency to halt new environmental reviews and permitting, stop offering new nonferrous mineral and surface leases in the RRHW, and decline to act as cooperating agencies on federal reviews.[1] Walz said the fight for the Boundary Waters' future is over and vowed his administration will protect the area "forever." FOX 9
Congress recently overturned a 20-year federal mining restriction, a change the administration cited in justifying state action to protect the area's recreation economy, which it framed as nearly $1 billion.[1] Environmental groups praised the move; Save the Boundary Waters chair Becky Rom said science shows copper mining and the Boundary Waters "cannot safely coexist." FOX 9
The order effectively blocks projects like the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine, a subsidiary of a Chilean company that had projected hundreds of construction jobs and about 750 permanent jobs over a 5-10 year runway, and DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said barring the agencies from cooperating on federal reviews makes such projects nearly impossible.[2]
The decision split labor allies and prompted regional political backlash, with Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council director Tom Dicklich, IUOE Local 49's Ryan Davies and DFL Sen. Grant Hauschild publicly rebuking the order as undercutting good-paying Iron Range and Duluth-area jobs.[2]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, August 18, 2026 Gov. Walz signed Executive Order 26-10 targeting the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed (RRHW) to restrict mining activity in the area, according to Executive Order 26-10.
- The order directs the DNR and MPCA to halt new environmental reviews and permitting, stop offering new nonferrous mineral and surface leases in the RRHW, and decline to act as cooperating agencies on federal reviews — a move DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said makes projects like Twin Metals nearly impossible, per DNR and MPCA.
- Walz’s order will remain in effect while the Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness v. DNR litigation is unresolved and instructs the DNR to draft permanent-ban legislation for the RRHW, per reporting on Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness v. DNR litigation.
- Fox 9 explicitly described the action as a ban on new mining permits and leases in and around the Boundary Waters that functionally kills the proposed Twin Metals copper‑nickel mine; Twin Metals is a subsidiary of a Chilean company that had projected hundreds of construction jobs and roughly 750 permanent jobs over a 5–10 year permitting‑to‑production runway, according to reporting on Twin Metals.
- Gov. Walz said “the fight for the future of the Boundary Waters is over” and vowed his administration will protect the area “forever,” signaling the permanence he intends for the restrictions, as reported by Gov. Walz.
- The administration tied the state action to a recent congressional rollback of a 20‑year federal mining restriction and framed the Boundary Waters recreation economy as nearly $1 billion in arguing for protection, according to reporting on Congress.
- Environmental groups praised the move: Save the Boundary Waters National Chair Becky Rom said science shows copper mining and the Boundary Waters “cannot safely coexist,” per comments reported by Becky Rom.
- The decision split labor allies and prompted regional political backlash — Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council director Tom Dicklich, IUOE Local 49’s Ryan Davies and DFL Sen. Grant Hauschild publicly rebuked or opposed the order, arguing it undercuts good‑paying jobs in the Iron Range/Duluth area, according to reporting on Tom Dicklich.
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- The FOX 9 follow-up explicitly brands the action as a ban on new mining permits and leases in and around the Boundary Waters, functionally killing the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine.
- The article quotes Gov. Walz declaring, "the fight for the future of the Boundary Waters is over" and that his administration will protect the area "forever," sharpening the permanence he is signaling.
- DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen explains that under the order, DNR and MPCA are barred from serving as cooperating agencies on federal environmental reviews, making it nearly impossible for projects like Twin Metals to proceed.
- Twin Metals is identified as a subsidiary of a Chilean company, with claimed projections of hundreds of construction jobs and 750 permanent mining jobs over a 5–10 year permitting-to-production runway.
- Key labor allies — including Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council director Tom Dicklich and IUOE Local 49’s Ryan Davies — publicly rebuke Walz, saying the move undercuts good-paying jobs needed to fund the very social programs he touts.
- DFL Sen. Grant Hauschild (Hermantown) is cited as opposing the order, underscoring intra-party division and Iron Range/Duluth-area backlash.
- Identifies the order as Executive Order 26-10 and specifies it targets the Rainy River Headwaters Watershed (RRHW).
- Details operational directives: DNR and MPCA must halt new environmental review and permitting, stop offering new nonferrous mineral and surface leases in the RRHW, and decline to act as cooperating agencies in federal reviews.
- States the order remains in effect while the Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness v. DNR litigation is unresolved and instructs DNR to draft permanent-ban legislation for the RRHW.
- Adds that Congress recently overturned a 20-year federal mining restriction, prompting the state action, and frames the Boundary Waters recreation economy as "nearly $1 billion."
- Includes on-the-record support quote from Save the Boundary Waters National Chair Becky Rom about science showing copper mining and the Boundary Waters "cannot safely coexist."