Skip to main content

Agora
Sign in

House bill · H.R. 588 (119th Congress)

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act

U.S. House of Representatives

Latest action Jan 21, 2025

Sponsor: Betty McCollum (U.S. Representative, MN-4, Democratic)

Follow

Following needs an Agora account. You will sign in first, then come back to this page.

From Congress.gov and official rosters. This record was last updated Jul 30, 2026. About our data

Summary

Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act This bill protects and preserves approximately 225,504 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest in Minnesota from certain mining, such as sulfide-ore copper mining. (The area is upstream from the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.) Specifically, the bill withdraws those acres from entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. However, the Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed. Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States must be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill.

Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries

Where it stands

Assigned to a committee for review.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Up for a vote
  4. Passed one chamber
  5. Passed
  6. Enacted

Committee

House Committee on Natural Resources · U.S. House of Representatives

Your position on this bill

Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.

Sign in or create an account to give your position

Cosponsors

39

Showing the 38 who are on Agora, A to Z. Congress.gov listed 39 as of Aug 1, 2026.

See all cosponsors on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab)
  • Democratic38

Party is shown for the 38 cosponsors who are on Agora.

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

Show the full list (38 names)

Full history

  1. Jan 21, 2025

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    U.S. House of Representatives

  2. Jan 21, 2025

    Introduced

    Introduced in U.S. House

    U.S. House

  3. Jan 21, 2025

    Referred to committee

    Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.

    U.S. House of Representatives

Read the record