Save the Boundary Waters

Save the Boundary Waters is a grassroots organization dedicated to permanently protecting Minnesota’s crown jewel – the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness – from the threat of sulfide-ore copper mining. 

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As the leaders of this locally-led, national movement, Save the Boundary Waters has brought this fight to the forefront, securing key safeguards on the path to permanent protections and amplifying the voices of everyone who loves the Boundary Waters. But we can’t do it alone.

The Boundary Waters is America's most visited Wilderness area, spanning 1.1 million acres of pristine lakes, rivers, and forests in northern Minnesota. This iconic landscape provides clean water, sustains a thriving economy, and supports diverse wildlife in northern Minnesota.

Yet powerful forces are working to build a toxic copper mine in the headwaters of the Boundary Waters – a project spearheaded by Antofagasta, a Chilean mining conglomerate with a history of polluting waters worldwide. History shows that sulfide-ore copper mines pollute 100% of the time. This mine would devastate the Boundary Waters’ ecosystem with lasting consequences for generations.

Once the Wilderness is contaminated with toxic copper mining pollution, it’s irreversibly damaged—let's protect our natural treasures before it's too late.

Politicians friendly to the copper mining industry are pushing new legislation to allow toxic mining here, prioritizing short-term profits over the severe, irreversible risks to this Wilderness. One such dangerous bill recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives.

Our work is not done until the Boundary Waters is protected forever.

Here’s how your support today makes a difference:

1. ADVOCATE FOR PERMANENT PROTECTION that bans toxic mining on state and federal lands in the headwaters of the Boundary Waters permanently.
2. DEFEND IN COURT. We’re committed to protecting the Boundary Waters through multiple legal actions.
3. BE THE VOICE OF THE BOUNDARY WATERS. Did you know that polling shows nearly 70% of Minnesotans support a copper mining ban in the watershed of the Boundary Waters? This is the American people’s Wilderness. Your donation keeps the voice of the people strong in the fight for protection.
4. DELIVER EXPERT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE that clearly shows copper mining in the watershed of the Boundary Waters is irresponsible and would seriously harm this priceless Wilderness.

Our work is not done until the Boundary Waters is protected for future generations forever. Together, we can save this irreplaceable Wilderness.

Every donation and every voice, no matter the size, brings us one step closer to permanent protection. Join the movement and together we can SAVE THE BOUNDARY WATERS. 

Donate today