He argues that mining didn't impact his business then and doesn't believe it would today.

KRAKER: Dan Waters opened his business on Ely's main street in 1964, when two iron mines still operated. But not all canoe outfitters support the move.ĭAN WATERS: I am in favor of mining if it can be done safely. That process begins with an environmental study that could lead to a 20-year mining ban in the area. Forest Service applied for what's known as a mineral withdrawal and about 350 square miles of federal land south of the boundary waters. And the Biden administration shares that concern. KRAKER: Piragis says copper mining threatens the pristine wilderness and the tourism that's the bedrock of Ely. KRAKER: Elli Piragis is general manager for the family canoe outfitting business, which she says is booming.Į PIRAGIS: It's been obvious for several years, but especially during the pandemic, that people are craving more of an outdoor experience, and we obviously have a pristine outdoor experience here. So this will be a new retail space for us. Where are you going to find that? Not many places in North America.ĮLLI PIRAGIS: Got it. And you can drink the water out of them in a cup by dipping it into the lake as you paddle along. STEVE PIRAGIS: Some of the cleanest water in North America comes out of these headwaters' lakes. Every year, tens of thousands of people travel here to paddle and portage through the pristine boundary waters, and many of them rent camping gear from Steve Piragis. And now the town is known less for its rocks and much more for its water.

Minnesota Public Radio's Dan Kraker reports.ĭAN KRAKER, BYLINE: Ely, Minn., was founded in the 1800s as a mining town, but the last underground iron ore mine closed more than 50 years ago. Last week's announcement is the latest in a long-standing tug-of-war spanning three White House administrations. That's a million acres of federally protected lakes and forest on the Minnesota-Canada border. The Biden administration has taken a major step toward banning copper mining on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

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