Southeast News, Mining

Overturning of mining ban in Minnesota has Southeast Alaska tribal leaders worried about similar actions

U.S. Senate’s 50-49 vote, with both of Alaska’s senators in favor, reverses a 20-year mining moratorium near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

by Mark Sabbatini - Juneau Independent April 20, 2026April 20, 2026

A U.S. Senate vote overturning a mining ban on U.S. Forest Service land near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters has local tribal leaders worrying it sets a precedent for similar actions in the Tongass National Forest.

The 50-49 vote on Thursday puts the validity of all U.S. Forest Service management plans enacted over several decades into question, according to critics. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the legislation, which had already passed the U.S. House.