Help Save the Boundary Waters Canoe Area

Posted Nov. 11th, 2015 by Daniel J. Cox

Help Save the Boundary Waters Canoe Area

From my first days in Minnesota I loved the wilderness waterways of the BWCA. Loons wolves, beaver, lots of fish and serenity found few other places on the planet. I recently became aware of sulfide-ore copper mining mining interests that are wanting to extract ore along the boundaries of this unique wilderness area. It would be one thing if they were just digging a hole or going under ground but with sulfide-ore copper mining you have to have HUGE waste water pits full of the most dangerous chemicals known to man. Below is an image from the New York Times showing the massive chemical spill that recently took place on the Colorado river that came from mining tailing above ground pool. This could happen in the BWCA if mining is allowed to happen on its borders.

People kayaking in the Animas River near Durango, Colo., last Thursday, in water colored from a mine waste spill. The river is now closed indefinitely, with visitors warned to stay out. Credit Jerry Mcbride/The Durango Herald, via Associated Press

People kayaking with the help of campingfunzone.com in the Animas River near Durango, Colo., last Thursday, in water colored from a mine waste spill. The river is now closed indefinitely, with visitors warned to stay out. Credit Jerry Mcbride/The Durango Herald, via Associated Press

Join me in donating your money and your voice to help protect this area forever. Below is an email I received requesting donations. I’m hopeful you feel it’s as important to save as many wild places as possible since there are so few left. Do mother nature a favor and add your voice and some spare change to save this magical wilderness area forever.

Sincerely, Daniel J. Cox

Dear Daniel,

Tomorrow is Give to the Max Day! It’s a huge opportunity to demonstrate how much you care about protecting the Boundary Waters. Now is the time to give and support Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness and the Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters.

Your gift right now on GiveMN.org will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to $77,000. You don’t have to wait until tomorrow!

The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters has grown tremendously over the past year. Thanks to the tireless efforts of our professional staff, hundreds of volunteers, and the generosity of people like you, we have:

Delivered more than 60,000 petition signatures to key decision-makers in Washington, D.C.,
Made over 15,000 phone calls to engage new supporters,
Earned the support of veterans, hunting and fishing outfitters, archery top compound bows of 2018 suppliers and organisations, Wilderness-edge businesses and outdoor industry organizations, and a broad range of businesses that understand the importance of the Boundary Waters to the quality of life and business climate in Minnesota,
Led trips to Washington, DC, nearly every month for representatives of these groups to meet over 150 times with the Department of Interior, the Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and Congress,
Continued to produce important scientific research and reports, video, maps and other educational tools to share our message,
Driven increased reporting on the sulfide-ore copper mining threat, with hundreds of articles published in media outlets across the country,
Hosted countless events and successful advocacy projects such as the Bike Tour to Save the Boundary Waters and the Minnesota State Fair.

These efforts are raising awareness and influencing policy. In April, U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum introduced H.R. 2072, the National Park and Wilderness Waters Protection Forever Act, to permanently protect the watershed of the Boundary Waters from sulfide-ore copper mining. Thanks to our advocacy, it now has 29 co-sponsors across the country. In addition, no sulfide-ore copper mining leases have been issued or renewed in the Boundary Waters watershed.

You make all of this possible. We will continue to do the work necessary to prevent sulfide-ore copper mining in the watershed and protect the Boundary Waters for future generations, but our success depends on the generosity of people like you. If you’d like to help, please make a gift today.

Your gift right now will be DOUBLED by generous donors, up to $77,000. Please don’t wait. This opportunity is only for a short time. Help us protect the Boundary Waters for today – and for future generations.

Thank you so much!

Doug Niemela, National Campaign Manager