Efforts include Emmer's MINER Act in 2017

WASHINGTON, DC - Following the President's announcement yesterday that his administration will rescind the federal withdrawal in the Superior National Forest and restore mineral exploration for Minnesota, Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) released the following statement:

“The President's announcement last night is great news for Minnesota. My MINER Act demonstrated strong bipartisan support for unleashing our state's mining potential and now, by reversing the politically motivated and short-sighted actions from the Obama administration on their way out the door, President Trump is stepping in to restore local control of Minnesota’s mineral rights.

“I am hopeful that the steps needed to ensure a full reversal of the former administration's harmful actions are taken soon, specifically ending the withdrawal proposal that has now dragged on for 18 months, to dramatically revitalize local communities and their economies.”

Background:

During the last days of his administration, President Obama threatened more than 425,000 acres of land with a prohibition on development, potentially instating a 20-year ban on industry activity, including up to two-years for a temporary study. This unchecked move by the former administration decimated local economies, specifically a projected loss of nearly 17,000 jobs and billions of dollars of revenue.

In October 2017, Congressman Emmer introduced Minnesota’s Economic Rights (MINER) in the Superior National Forest Act to restore Minnesota's right to explore and, if environmentally appropriate, mine valuable precious metals. The House passed Emmer's MINER Act in November 2017 followed closely by action from the Department of Interior to renew the mineral leases in the area.

President Trump's announcement signifies his commitment to ending the two-year study and fully restoring Minnesota's right to explore.

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