Dayton rebuffs Twin Metals mine proposal, citing risks to BWCA

Voicing grave concerns about threats to Minnesota's cherished northern wilderness, Gov. Mark Dayton said Monday that he will not grant access to state land for the development of a controversial copper-nickel mine next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).

In a letter to a top executive of Twin Metals Minnesota, one of two firms exploring copper deposits in the region, Dayton said he has an obligation to protect an extraordinary natural legacy.

Monday's letter was the first time Dayton definitively and publicly stated that he opposes mining in the pristine watershed that holds the Boundary Waters wilderness. It followed last week's state approval of a 10-year environmental review for another mining project, proposed by PolyMet Mining Corp.

http://www.startribune.com/dayton-rebuffs-twin-metals-mine-proposla-citing-risks-to-bwca/371338321/