Opinion | Congress can restore a predictable pathway for mining projects

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Minnesota has never been afraid of doing hard things the right way. From world‑class manufacturing to responsible forestry and taconite production, our state has built its reputation on high standards, transparency and pride in craftsmanship. The same approach should guide decisions about whether and how to develop copper, nickel, cobalt and helium in northeast Minnesota — resources the nation needs for everything from power grid reliability and electric vehicles to medical devices and national defense.

Congress now has an opportunity to help us better understand and pursue responsible development of the minerals that lie underground in northeast Minnesota. Through consideration of a Congressional Review Act (CRA), Congress can lift the federal mineral withdrawal that banned exploration and mining activities on a wide swath of land that sits on top of some of the world’s largest known deposits of critical minerals.

The two of us are native Minnesotans who love our state, the beautiful environment we all enjoy and have great pride in our state’s ability to serve its residents. So why would we welcome congressional action?

When imposed in 2023, the environmental analysis underlying the decision to enact the mineral withdrawal didn’t evaluate a specific mine plan. It didn’t weigh actual engineering or environmental monitoring data. It simply preempted Minnesota’s rigorous process before it could be applied. The CRA would restore a level playing field, one where proposals get permitted based on facts, data, public input and enforceable standards rather than shifting politics.

Minnesota’s regulatory system isn’t a rubber stamp. It requires extensive environmental review, public engagement and legally binding permits with measurable limits. Companies must demonstrate that water quality can be protected, waste can be contained and reclaimed properly, and operations must continuously meet or exceed state and federal requirements. If a project can’t clear those bars, it doesn’t move ahead. If it can, the benefits are real: family‑sustaining union jobs, supplier investments, taxes and royalty payments, and contributions to the state’s school trust fund that supports our kids’ education.

Opponents sometimes frame this as a false choice: Either you care about clean water and wild places, or you support mining. Minnesotans know better. We hunt, fish, hike and camp in the very landscapes we’re committed to protecting. That’s exactly why we insist on consistent oversight that doesn’t end when the ribbon is cut.

The stakes are bigger than state lines. Whether we like it or not, the U.S. will obtain these minerals from somewhere. If not here, under our stringent rules, then from places with lower environmental standards, weaker labor protections and supply chains vulnerable to geopolitical coercion. We should not outsource environmental risk, human rights concerns or national security dependencies when Minnesota can produce essential materials responsibly.

Approving the CRA does not greenlight any project. It allows for a process to be followed that Minnesota has built over decades — one that integrates tribes, local governments, labor, business, environmental experts and the public. It requires real plans, real data and real accountability. If a company can meet the standards, Minnesota benefits. If it can’t, the permits won’t be issued. That is what public confidence looks like.

By supporting this effort in Congress, we are demonstrating our confidence in Minnesota’s proven environmental framework, and for the right for Minnesota to say what can and cannot be done in our own backyard.

Minnesota workers can meet the highest bar anywhere. Let the applications be filed. Let the engineers present their designs. Let the scientists test and verify. And let Minnesota decide, through its laws, its standards and its people, whether proposed projects earn the right to proceed. We’re ready to do our part. Give Minnesota the chance to do what it does best: set a high standard and meet it.