Congressional Republicans moved closer Wednesday to lifting a 20-year ban on mining near Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, pushing a resolution to end the moratorium through the House despite environmentalists' warnings that it could devastate a premier destination for campers, kayakers and canoeists.
The resolution now goes to the Senate, and approval there would send it to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The push to end the ban comes as a Chilean mining company considers opening a copper mine in the Superior National Forest on the edge of the wilderness area that conservationists say could contaminate the watershed.
“Minnesota's Boundary Waters is one of our nation's most iconic wilderness areas,” Jackie Feinberg, the Sierra Club's national lands conservation campaign manager, said in a statement. “This push by the Trump administration and their Congressional allies to allow toxic mining in the Boundary Waters watershed puts this fragile ecosystem at risk, and is a clear giveaway to corporate polluters.”
Boundary Waters is a vast swath of remote woods, lakes and swamps in the Superior National Forest in far northeastern Minnesota, stretching for about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) along the border with Canada.
It remains largely untouched by humans; logging is prohibited, planes must stay above 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) as they fly over it, except in emergencies, and motorized boats are limited to certain areas.
The promise of serenity has drawn campers, hikers, kayakers and canoeists for decades. The U.S. Forest Service issued about 776,000 visitor permits between 2020 and 2024, according to agency data.
Part of the Superior National Forest is situated on the Duluth Complex, a rock formation that contains deposits of copper, nickel, lead, zinc, iron, silver and gold, according to the Forest Service.
Twin Metals Minnesota LLC, a subsidiary of Chile-based Antofagasta Minerals, submitted a plan with the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2019 proposing to mine copper, nickel, cobalt and other precious metals in the forest.
President Joe Biden's administration blocked the project in 2023, imposing a 20-year moratorium on mining on about 400 square miles (103,600 hectares) in the forest, saying that was necessary to protect the watershed and canoe wilderness.
The president has sought to bolster domestic energy and mineral production, declaring an energy emergency just days after retaking office a year ago. Last fall his administration reinstated a 2017 legal opinion that allowed Twin Metals to renew its leases in the Superior National Forest, and Minnesota regulators approved its exploratory mining plans in December.
This month U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Duluth Republican, introduced the resolution to lift the Biden-era moratorium, saying it has cost jobs, put the nation's mineral security at risk and is “an attack on our way of life.”
Republicans said on the House floor that they must open the door to mining near the canoe area to compete with China and Russia in the race for key minerals such as cobalt, copper and nickel. Stauber, almost shouting at times, called the moratorium “a dangerous, purely political decision.”
“It's better in our backyard than in China or Russia or other adversarial nations,” he said.
Democrats painted mining as an existential threat to the wilderness and said any minerals extracted would just be sold on the international market anyway.
“Some places are just too precious to mine,” said Betty McCollum, a Minnesota Democrat.
Stauber brought the resolution under the Congressional Review Act, which allows lawmakers to overturn certain actions by federal agencies.
Democrats argued that the resolution was out of order because Republicans had to bring it within 60 days of the ban's implementation, not three years later, and such resolutions cannot be used to erase public land protections. They said approving it would set a dangerous precedent.
Republicans countered that the Biden administration failed to formerly notify Congress of the ban in 2023.
The House ultimately approved the resolution on a 214-208 vote. One Republican, Don Bacon of Nebraska, voted against it, and one Democrat, Jared Golden of Maine, voted for it.
Matthew Schultz, a spokesperson for Sportsmen for the Boundary Waters, said Bacon’s vote resolution shows that the issue does not break down along party lines.
“The hunting, fishing, angling and outdoor community wants to see this place protected, plain and simple,” Schultz said. “No matter who you voted for, nobody voted for less public lands and less access to them. Without a shadow of a doubt, should this pass through the Senate, that is what will happen.”
It is not clear when or if the Senate, where Republicans hold 53 of the chamber's 100 seats, will take it up.
Associated Press writer Doug Glass contributed.
In this undated image provided by Minnesota Public Radio, Sept. 2, 2016, canoeists navigate the Pocket River in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness near Ely, Minn. (Nathaniel Minor/Minnesota Public Radio via AP, File)
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Premier League teams are powering ahead in the Champions League with five of England's top flight clubs in position to advance to the round of 16.
Arsenal tops the standings and has already secured its place in the next round, while wins for Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea on Wednesday saw them move into the top eight automatic qualifying positions with one game of the league phase to go. Tottenham is fifth, with Manchester City the only English team in the playoff positions going into next week's matches.
Liverpool is fourth after a 3-0 win at Marseille. Newcastle beat PSV Eindhoven by the same score and Chelsea won 1-0 against Pafos.
Bayern Munich is second and joined Arsenal in advancing to the round of 16 with Harry Kane scoring twice in a 2-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise.
Barcelona is in ninth place after a 4-2 win at Slavia Prague and risks having to to go through the playoffs to advance.
But there is much to play for in the final round of league phase games with just three points separating third place Real Madrid and Juventus in 15th.
The top eight qualify directly to the round of 16. Teams placed from nine to 24 enter a two-legged playoff to advance.
Prepare for a dramatic final round of games before the knockouts.
While the remaining six automatic qualification spots are still up for grabs, just two points separate the last of the playoff places and Ajax, which is 32nd in the standings.
One standout game sees Italian champion Napoli host Chelsea. Napoli is 25th — one place below the playoffs.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain hosts Newcastle and dropped points for either team could see them fall into the playoffs.
Man City’s home game against Galatasaray also has much riding on it if the 2023 European champion is to avoid the danger of the playoffs.
Jose Mourinho needs a win at his former club Madrid to give Benfica any chance of making the playoffs.
Liverpool topped the league phase last year — only to be eliminated by PSG in the round of 16. Arne Slot's team has made harder work of it this time around, but victory in Marseille leaves the Premier League champion in a strong position going into its final game at home to Qarabag.
Dominik Szoboszlai's free kick put Liverpool ahead in the first half. A Geronimo Rulli own goal doubled the advantage and Cody Gakpo sealed the win that also saw Hugo Ekitike hit the bar and Mohamed Salah miss a golden chance.
Newcastle cruised past PSV at St James' Park, with Yoane Wissa, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes on the score sheet, while it took a Moises Caicedo header to see Chelsea break down a stubborn Pafos.
Kane scored goals number 35 and 36 in a remarkable season for the Bayern striker — but he was left to rue missing out on a fourth hat trick of the season when his second-half penalty struck the crossbar.
The England captain scored twice in the space of three minutes in the second half against Union Saint-Gilloise — first with a near-post header and then winning and converting from the penalty spot.
Fermin Lopez also scored twice as Barcelona fought back to beat Slavia Prague, with a stunning long-range effort the pick of his goals.
Prague led after 10 minutes through Vasil Kusej, but Lopez struck twice to give Barcelona the lead. A Robert Lewandowski own goal leveled the game before halftime.
Substitute Dan Olmo curled into the top corner to put Barcelona in front again and Lewandowski scored at the end to seal the 4-2 win.
United States international Weston McKennnie scored for the third time in the Champions League this season as Juventus beat Benfica 2-0.
Juve is 15th and guaranteed to at least make the playoffs.
Atalanta is 13th after losing 3-2 at home to Athletic Bilbao, which is 23rd.
Tiny Qarabag is making a big impression in the competition and picked up its third win in the league phase after Bahlul Mustafazade scored deep into stoppage time on to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-2.
The Azerbaijani team edged closer to securing a place in the playoffs with just one game remaining thanks to its late comeback, which also confirmed Frankfurt’s elimination.
Camilo Duran had put the home team ahead in the fourth minute, but Frankfurt responded through Can Uzun and Fares Chaibi. Duran leveled the game in the 80th before Mustafazade’s winner in the 94th.
A Marcos Llorente own goal denied Atletico Madrid victory as the Spanish team drew 1-1 at Galatasaray. Giuliano Simeone scored early for Atletico before Llorente’s own goal in the 20th.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Bayern's Harry Kane celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Bayern Munich and Union Saint-Gilloise, in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Newcastle's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League soccer match between Newcastle and PSV in Newcastle, England, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson)
Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez reacts during the Champions League soccer match between Chelsea and Pafos in London, England, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Barcelona's Dani Olmo, center, celebrates with his teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Slavia Prague and Barcelona in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Liverpool's Jeremie Frimpong, left, and Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai celebrate after Marseille's goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli scored an own goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Marseille and Liverpool in Marseille, France, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Philippe Magoni)
Qarabag's Camilo Duran, right, holds the Player of the Match award after the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Qarabag and Eintracht Frankfurt in Baku, Azerbaijan, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (AP Photo)
Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister leaves the pitch after the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Burnley in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal reacts during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Barcelona's Marcus Rashford in action during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Sociedad and Barcelona in San Sebastian, Spain, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses)
Liverpool's manager Arne Slot enters to the pitch prior to the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Burnley in Liverpool, England, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super)
