Recently, U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reverse its decision to remove more than 234,000 acres in Superior National Forest from the federal mineral leasing program ("BWCAW supporters rally against Nolan," Feb. 2). This would leave the door open for harmful copper-nickel mining in the watershed of Voyageurs National Park and the Boundary Waters.
We support the environmental review that is now underway.
A 2015 hydrology study commissioned by National Parks Conservation Association and Voyageurs National Park Association found that pollution from sulfide mines as far away as 100 miles will flow into the waters at Voyageurs because of the region's unique geology and water-dominated landscape.
Withdrawing federal lands from the mineral leasing program has been a valuable tool in the protection of our public lands in places like Grand Canyon and Yellowstone national parks. Voyageurs and the Boundary Waters are just as valued as are these iconic parks, and withdrawal is the right step to ensure they are protected now and for future generations.
The National Parks Conservation Association gave Congressman Nolan a well-deserved "Friend of the National Parks" award in 2015 for his voting record on park-specific legislation. He has a history of standing up for national parks. Unfortunately, he is on the wrong side of this issue.
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Christine R. Goepfert
St. Paul
The writer is the Midwest senior program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association (npca.org).
Christina Hausman
Minneapolis
The writer is executive director of the Voyageurs National Park Association (voyageurs.org).
