The U.S. House of Representatives has approved H.J. Res. 140, a resolution that reverses the Biden administration’s decision to withdraw over 225,000 acres in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest from mineral exploration and development.
The measure was introduced by Pete Stauber (R-Minn.), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources. The legislation targets Public Land Order (PLO 7917), which was signed in January 2023 by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and blocked federal mineral leasing for two decades on these lands.
House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) commented, “Today, the House took an important step toward responsibly unlocking our nation’s mineral wealth and securing our domestic mineral supply chains while ensuring the strongest environmental protections for our nation’s public lands and waters. Unleashing Northern Minnesota’s vast deposits of copper, cobalt, and nickel will reduce our reliance on China for the minerals that power our economy and national security. Representative Stauber is a champion for responsibly developing American mineral resources and for Minnesota’s Iron Range, and I thank him for his tireless efforts to overturn President Biden’s nonsensical withdrawal.”
Stauber said, “I’m thrilled the House has passed H.J. Res. 140 to repeal Biden’s illegal mining ban that locked up 225,504 acres in Northern Minnesota, directly threatening our way of life. Growing up in the Northland, I’ve seen firsthand how these radical policies kill jobs and hurt families. This win allows for important proposed hardrock mining and helium projects to move forward in the state and federal permitting processes. The Iron Range mined the iron ore that helped this nation win two World Wars and I am confident we’ll responsibly mine the critical minerals that will allow us to compete and win in the 21st Century.”
According to background information provided by lawmakers, northern Minnesota’s Duluth Complex contains significant reserves of key minerals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and platinum-group metals. If developed fully, this area could provide most of America’s nickel reserves along with large shares of other strategic minerals.
In January 2022, longstanding mineral leases held by Twin Metals Minnesota were canceled by the Biden administration after years of environmental review had already taken place.
The resolution passed under provisions of the Congressional Review Act eliminates PLO 7917 but does not guarantee any particular project will proceed; it restores eligibility for environmental review processes regarding potential mining operations.
