Trump signs law ending Boundary Waters mining ban
President Donald Trump signed a law Tuesday, April 28, 2026, ending the Boundary Waters mining ban and rolling back federal protections near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
The measure implements rolled-back protections that the FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul report said will open the area to potential new mining activity and regulatory changes. The news was published Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 3:09 PM Central.
The episode traces back to long-running disputes over mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and the new law marks a reversal of protections that had limited new mining claims around the popular federal recreation area.
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📌 Key Facts
- Trump signed H.J. Res. 140 on April 27, 2026, revoking Biden’s Public Land Order 7917.
- PLO 7917 had withdrawn about 225,504 acres in Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties from mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years.
- The House passed the rollback 214–208 on Jan. 21, 2026; the Senate passed it 50–49 on April 16, 2026, despite a floor protest by Sen. Tina Smith.
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April 28, 2026