Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection Act

In this section:

The term Map means the map attached to Public Land Order No. 7917 (88 Fed. Reg. 6308 (January 31, 2023)).

The term Boundary means the boundary labeled Withdrawal Application Boundary in the legend of the figure entitled Withdrawal application area and identified as figure 1, as included in the environmental assessment prepared by the Forest Service entitled Rainy River Withdrawal Environmental Assessment and dated June 2022.

Except as provided in subsection (c), subject to valid existing rights, the approximately 225,504 acres of Federal land and waters in the Rainy River Watershed of the Superior National Forest in the State of Minnesota, as depicted on the Map (including any land or waters or interest in land or waters that are acquired by the United States after the date of enactment of this Act within the Boundary), are withdrawn from—

(1) all forms of entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws;

(2) location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and

(3) operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws.

The Chief of the Forest Service may permit the removal of sand, gravel, granite, iron ore, and taconite from National Forest System land within the area withdrawn under subsection (b) if the Chief of the Forest Service determines that the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of the forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.

The Map and the figure depicting the Boundary shall be kept on file and made available for public inspection in the appropriate offices of the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.