Photo:  Laura Nijssen on Unsplash.com

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - January 19, 2026

January 21, 2026, update: U.S. House to consider resolution to overturn Minnesota mining ban following Rules Committee approval

The House Committee on Rules is scheduled to meet tomorrow, January 20, at 3:00 p.m. (2:00 p.m. Central) to consider a joint resolution that would cancel a 20-year federal mineral withdrawal in Northern Minnesota put in place by the Biden Administration in January 2023. The hearing is a step toward reopening more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest, covering portions of St. Louis, Lake, and Cook Counties, to potential mining activities.

The measure, H.J. Res. 140, was introduced by Minnesota Representative Pete Stauber on January 12, 2026. The resolution invokes the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a legislative tool that allows Congress to overturn federal agency rules through an expedited process.

The resolution targets Public Land Order (PLO) No. 7917, which established a 20-year ban on mineral leasing in over 225,000 acres of land within the Superior National Forest to protect the watershed of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) from potential environmental impacts related to copper-nickel mining.

While the ban was enacted three years ago, those in favor of the resolution state that the Biden Administration failed to properly notify Congress as required by the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, thus arguing that the ban was "illegal." On January 8, 2026, the Trump Administration formally transmitted the order to Congress, which those in favor say opened a new window for a CRA challenge.

Representative Stauber and other supporters argue the ban is an overreach of power that threatens regional industry and national interests.

“This dangerous and illegal mining ban was thrust upon my constituents and our way of life in Northern Minnesota and put our nation's mineral security in jeopardy,” Stauber stated in a recent press release on January 12. “Northern Minnesota mined the iron ore that won this nation two World Wars, and we will mine the copper, nickel, and other critical minerals that will allow the United States to compete and win in the 21st Century.”

Alternatively, groups such as Save the Boundary Waters have long opposed efforts to lift the ban. These organizations argue that the 20-year withdrawal is essential to protecting the environmental integrity and water quality of the Rainy River Watershed. Opponents also maintain that sulfide-ore copper mining poses an inherent risk of toxic drainage that could permanently damage the BWCAW ecosystem and the local tourism and recreational economy.

Current Status and Next Steps

Since its introduction, H.J. Res. 140 was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources on January 12th. Tomorrow’s hearing before the House Rules Committee will determine the "rule" for floor debate, including the time allotted for discussion and whether any amendments will be permitted.

If the resolution is passed by both the House and Senate and signed by the President, PLO 7917 would be rendered void. Additionally, under the CRA, the executive branch would be prohibited from issuing any "substantially similar" rule in the future without a new act of Congress. Following the committee meeting, the resolution is expected to move to the House floor for a full vote.