releases: http://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/hometown-focus-nolan-responds-to-administration-s-anti-mining-anti-jobs
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://nolan.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/hometown-focus-nolan-responds-to-administration-s-anti-mining-anti-jobs | Hometown Focus: Nolan responds to administrations anti-mining, anti-jobs decision | 2016-12-16 | 2016 | 2016-12 | Democrat | House | MN | Rick Nolan | N000127 | nolan.house.gov | legacy | U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan on Thursday released the following statement on the Administration’s anti-mining, anti-jobs announcement: “Minnesota’s Iron Range got a real slap in the face and a punch in the gut by Washington bureaucrats this morning. The United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced their joint decision to withhold and deny consent on two of Twin Metals’ leases, which were previously renewed twice without controversy. This decision denies Minnesota’s Iron Range the opportunity to explore a project in the area that would bring thousands of new, greatly-needed jobs to our region. The Washington bureaucrats have clearly overreached their authority. It’s an embarrassing shame that we can’t even use science and exploration to discover what we have before shutting it all down. Furthermore, I am stunned the Administration chose to add insult to injury and propose to withdraw hundreds of thousands of acres of Superior National Forest land from mining. This goes in direct contradiction to the spirit, intent and letter of the law in the 1978 BWCA multiple-use compromise. This law established the area as predominantly non-motorized, taking millions of acres of lands out of valuable production. The law explicitly reserved lands outside of BWCA in the Superior National Forest for forestry, and management plans were established that included mining and mineral exploration, which was designated a “desirable activity.” I am also deeply concerned that the agencies failed to clarify whether they intend the segregation and withdrawal action to apply to taconite mining, now or in the future. We are all in agreement with the USDA’s mission to maintain the BWCA’s water quality and to protect its fish and wildlife. To be sure, we must protect our environment – the BWCA in particular – but we should never be afraid of exploration and discovery, or using science and facts to dictate important decisions. This is by no means the end of it all. We intend to work in the next Congress with the new Administration to ensure that we allow all mining initiatives to proceed through the proper rigorous and thorough process, using science, facts and technology to guide our decisions.” See p. 25 for Twin Metals Minnesota’s statement on the action by federal government to deny renewal of the company’s federal mineral leases in northeast Minnesota. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |