SW Arkansas Times

House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, along with Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Chairman Pete Stauber and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chairman Paul Gosar, have taken further steps in their investigation into the cancellation of mineral leases in Minnesota's Superior National Forest. They addressed a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Land Management Director Tracy Stone-Manning, expressing concerns over the decision to withdraw 225,504 acres from mineral exploration.

The committee stated: "The House Committee on Natural Resources continues to seek information related to the cancellation of two decades-old mineral leases in the Superior National Forest (Twin Metals leases) and the withdrawal of 225,504 acres of mineral-rich land in the same area from mineral exploration and development." They highlighted previous correspondence with inadequate responses from the Department of the Interior (DOI) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM).

According to the committee, previous responses lacked explanations for how these actions would reduce reliance on foreign-sourced minerals. The committee also noted receiving unresponsive documents such as duplicates, blank pages, and unidentified calendar invitations. Additionally, there was no evidence that economic impacts were considered before obstructing mineral production in Northern Minnesota.

Northeast Minnesota is known for its copper-nickel deposits. The Biden-Harris administration's decision to cancel Twin Metals' leases has been criticized for potentially harming domestic mining industries crucial for renewable energy and defense applications.

There are also concerns about private meetings between government officials and The Wilderness Society regarding litigation around Twin Metals permits. The DOI has not provided information about these meetings despite multiple requests from the committee.

This marks the fourth attempt by the committee to obtain more details about these undocumented meetings since their initial request sent on November 20, 2023.