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Newly approved mining in Minnesota may threaten waterways of a beloved nature preserve

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota is filled with more than a thousand lakes and rivers. But a recent vote in congress to allow mining nearby could threaten the preserve's waterways.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Henry Larson
Rob Schmitz
Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin, where he covers the human stories of a vast region reckoning with its past while it tries to guide the world toward a brighter future. From his base in the heart of Europe, Schmitz has explored Berlin’s techno scene, reported on the rise and fall of far-right rule in Poland, investigated Norway’s salmon farming industry, covered elections in the Netherlands, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Poland, the European Union and beyond, and patiently chronicled a 639-year organ performance in rural Germany.
Tinbete Ermyas

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