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Walz Signs Executive Order Halting Mining Permits in Rainy River Headwaters

8/19/2026

Center

Walz Halts Mining

Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order Aug. 18 2026, halting non-ferrous mining permits in the Rainy River Headwaters near the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
The order expires April 2027, 90 days after Walz leaves office, and may be continued or ended by his successor.
State agencies are prohibited from processing mining permits, leaving federal agencies free to issue leases.
Environmental groups and tribal leaders praised water protection; mining industry called it a job-delay move.

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Walz Halts Mining

Governor Tim Walz signed an order on Aug. 18 2026 halting permits for non-ferrous mining in the Rainy River Headwaters of the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
The order is framed as protecting pristine waters, wildlife, and the livelihoods of local outfitters and small-business communities.
The DNR must stop new leases, review existing ones, and draft permanent protection language.
Conservation groups, tribal nations and businesses praised order for defending the watershed after Trump rollback.

History

Historical Context

Governor Tim Walz’s August 18 2026 order stopping new permits in the Rainy River Headwaters mirrors the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Act, which President Jimmy Carter signed on October 21 1978 to create and enlarge the wilderness area—a move later upheld by the Supreme Court in 1982. The precedent fuels ongoing opposition, exemplified by Mining Truth’s 12,000-petition campaign in 2013.

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Walz Halts Mining

Governor Tim Walz signed an executive order Aug. 18 2026, halting non-ferrous mining permits in the Rainy River Headwaters near the Boundary Waters Wilderness.
The order expires April 2027, 90 days after Walz leaves office, and may be continued or ended by his successor.
State agencies are prohibited from processing mining permits, leaving federal agencies free to issue leases.
Environmental groups and tribal leaders praised water protection; mining industry called it a job-delay move.

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