U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber’s (R-MN) legislation became law on April 27 when President Donald Trump signed a measure overturning a 20-year mining ban in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest.
Stauber had introduced H.J. Res. 140 in January 2026 using the Congressional Review Act to nullify Public Land Order 7917, which withdrew approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands from mineral and geothermal leasing. The Bureau of Land Management under the Biden administration had issued the order in 2023 to protect the Rainy River Watershed, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and other areas from potential adverse effects of mineral exploration.
The new law removes those protections and allows the land to be leased for mineral and geothermal energy development.
“It’s official. The illegal mining ban put in place by former President Biden has been overturned indefinitely, ending a reckless policy that sidelined Minnesota’s miners and undermined our nation’s ability to source our own materials,” Stauber said.
The congressman said the legislation ensures no future Democratic president can unilaterally ban mining in the strategic area of the Superior National Forest.
“Now, proposed mining projects aimed at unlocking trillions of dollars’ worth of critical minerals can move forward through the proper state and federal environmental review and permitting process,” he said.
U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) was among four cosponsors of the bill.
The affected lands are located in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis counties in Minnesota and include areas within the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa, according to the summary of the bill. The original land withdrawal was intended to protect the region for 20 years from potential mining impacts.
“President Trump is the most pro-mining President in American history, and I thank him for his support in championing Minnesota’s union miners and workers,” Rep. Stauber said. “As the result of our shared commitment to American mineral dominance, Minnesota’s mighty Iron Range has a strong future ahead. It’s back at the center of a powerful economic comeback with another century’s worth of mining, and I’m proud to have delivered this hard-fought victory for our state and nation.”