Politiparty
Politiparty
LeaderboardCongressBills

119th Congress Public Lands and Natural Resources

H.R. 588: Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

Introduced

  1. Introduced (completed)Jan 21, 2025
  2. Passed House (not reached)
  3. Passed Senate (not reached)
  4. To the President (not reached)
  5. Became law (not reached)

Summary

Introduced in House, Jan 21, 2025

This bill protects and preserves approximately 225,504 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest in Minnesota from certain mining, such as sulfide-ore copper mining. (The area is upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.)

Specifically, the bill withdraws those acres from

  • entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;
  • location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and
  • operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.
Read the full summary

However, the Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.

Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States must be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.

Roll calls

0 votes on this bill

No roll call votes have been held on this bill.

Amendments

0 offered

No amendments were offered to this bill.

Cosponsors

41

Who scored on this bill

6 points earned
  1. 1Betty McCollum D-MN SponsorIntroduced, reached a cosponsor milestone2 events+6
See all scorers and every scoring event

Introductions and cosponsorships count toward weekly caps and show no points.

History

  1. Jan 21, 2025Introduced in the House by Betty McCollum.
Show the full action history (2 actions)
  1. Jan 21, 2025Introduced in House
  2. Jan 21, 2025Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.