Boundary Waters Business Coalition

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Minnesota

About Us

Local, state, regional and national businesses support permanent protection for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from risky sulfide-ore copper mining proposed on the edge of this iconic Wilderness.

The Boundary Waters is the crown jewel of Minnesota, the most visited Wilderness Area in the country and a special place for millions of Americans who love hunting, fishing, paddling and outdoor recreation. This is no place for sulfide-ore copper mining.

Support protection of this amazing Wilderness and the communities it supports.

Become a Coalition Member Today

Who We Are

Steve Piragis
Owner, Piragis Northwoods Company

"I, like most of our clients, enjoy fishing the wilderness lakes of the BWCAW. More than 50 percent of our clients travel by canoe in the region. Any industrialization on the perimeter of the Wilderness will inevitably degrade the wilderness and change the purity of this experience. Basswood Lake lies just downstream from the proposed Twin Metals sulfide-ore mine. If acid and heavy metals pollute the Kawishiwi River, as I believe they inevitably will, Basswood Lake will be among the first to be affected. It would not take long for recreational economy we have worked so hard to develop for the last 100 years in Ely to be adversely affected."

Paul Schurke
Explorer & Owner,
Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge
Sue Schurke
Owner, Wintergreen Northern Wear

"Since 1989, the viability of our Ely-based recreation and manufacturing businesses and the significant area employment they provide has been dependent upon their association with the Superior National Forest and the reputation of the Boundary Waters Wilderness. Our customers are spread across the globe but hold one passion in common: their affinity for Minnesota’s Northwoods and the wildness, serenity and pristine lakes and streams of the Boundary Waters. This is a business matter for us and for our region. The watershed of the Boundary Waters is no place for a sulfide-ore copper mine.”

Dave Seaton, Owner
Hungry Jack Outfitters

"Our region markets to people in a way that is authentic and real. The experiences people are looking for here are sustainable and realistic. The proposed Twin Metals mining project can change all that. Tourism is the main game in town and along most of the north shore of Lake Superior. If the expired mineral leases at the edge of the BWCAW are renewed, it will have a drastic negative impact on people’s view of the whole area. People know sulfide-ore copper mining pollutes surrounding waters, and it would damage public perception of the BWCAW. Harming the idea of pristine wilderness would deal a blow to the local economy, and that could cause many businesses to suffer."

Carl Haensel, Owner
Namebini

"Clean, unspoiled waters are at the heart of what fly anglers love and cherish. We need waters like the BWCAW not only for our clients to fish around the region, but to highlight the wild lands and clean waters we have lost elsewhere. Mining and industrialization on the doorstep of the most visited Wilderness in America will undoubtedly impact the Wilderness and change its character. Some of the most traveled routes in the BWCAW are directly in the downstream path of any pollution from the proposed Twin Metals sulfide-ore mine. If acid and heavy metals from the mine pollute this area, the recreation value that is the real lifeblood of Northeastern Minnesota will be affected. Mining at the edge of the BWCAW is not a risk worth taking."

Greg Benson, CEO
Loll Designs

"The Boundary Waters is a place where many of us first discovered true wilderness, and we know the importance of protecting it for future generations. Loll Designs manufactures our outdoor furniture in Duluth, Minnesota and protecting the environments at the heart of everything we do. We give back by participating in 1% for the Planet and other company eco-initiatives like utilizing 100% recycled material in our products. We hope our support will aid in the fight to prevent copper nickel sulfide mining near the Boundary Waters."

Our Economy

The Wilderness Supports Us

The Boundary Waters Business Coalition includes hundreds of small businesses, outfitters, manufacturing companies, hunting and fishing businesses and others that rely on and support this world-class Wilderness for employment and quality of life.

MN Outdoor Recreation Economy

Minnesota’s strong and growing outdoor recreation economy: $16.7 billion annually in consumer spending and 140,000 direct jobs statewide. (Outdoor Industry Association)

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Northeastern Minnesota Tourism

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park help drive the economy of Northeastern Minnesota, where
tourism supports 17,000 jobs and brings $945 million in sales annually to the region. (Explore Minnesota)

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Hunting and Fishing in Minnesota

Minnesota has a strong hunting and fishing tradition. Minnesota ranks seventh nationally in spending by sportsmen and women. Minnesota hunters and anglers spend $3.17 billion and support 47,901 jobs annually. (Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation)

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The Threat

We Need to Protect the Boundary Waters

America’s most visited Wilderness area is threatened by sulfide-ore copper mining proposed on the Wilderness edge. This toxic mining practice has never before been allowed in Minnesota.

Pollution from these mines will flow directly into the heart of the Boundary Waters. Even conservative models of pollution show that waterways would carry contaminants into the Wilderness. A single mine in this watershed will continually pollute the wilderness for at least 500 years. This toxic mining practice would harm productive habitats that support fish and game and the thousands of jobs sustained by this popular wilderness.

Path of Pollution from Sulfide-Ore Mining - Updated (1).jpg

Business Supporters List

WE SUPPORT permanent protection for the Boundary Waters watershed from the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining, by preventing future sulfide-ore copper mining on federal lands in the Rainy River Drainage Basin.