Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act

This bill, known as the "Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act," aims to safeguard the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and other federal lands and waters within the Rainy River Watershed in Minnesota. It proposes to permanently withdraw approximately 225,504 acres of federal land and waters in the Superior National Forest from various forms of resource exploitation. This action is intended to protect these interconnected natural areas for current and future generations. Specifically, the withdrawn area would be closed to new entry, appropriation, and disposal under public land laws, as well as location, entry, and patent under mining laws, and operation of mineral leasing laws. However, the Chief of the Forest Service retains discretion to permit the removal of certain materials, such as sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite , from National Forest System land within the withdrawn area. Such removal would only be allowed if it is determined not to be detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and overall health of the forest habitat in the Rainy River Watershed.