# Superior National Forest Restoration Act of 2025

This bill would overturn a 2023 federal protection order and reopen the Superior National Forest in Minnesota to mineral mining. In January 2023, the federal government withdrew about 225,000 acres of forest land from new mining activity to protect the area's water resources and ecosystems. This bill would cancel that protection and force the government to reissue mineral leases and permits that were previously denied or canceled since early 2021.

The bill would require the federal government to give back mining rights to companies that had their leases or permits rejected in recent years. These reissued leases would come with generous terms: a 20-year initial period plus the automatic right to renew for five additional 10-year periods, meaning a company could potentially mine the same area for 70 years. The bill also speeds up the approval process for mining operations by requiring the government to complete all environmental reviews and issue permits within strict timelines—18 months for initial mine plans and just 6 months for follow-up reviews and permits. For comparison, these reviews typically take several years.

The practical effect is that mining companies would have a much easier path to extract minerals like copper and nickel from the Superior National Forest. The bill prevents anyone from challenging these decisions in court, meaning environmental groups or concerned citizens couldn't sue to stop the mining approvals. This matters because the Superior National Forest sits above the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a pristine wilderness that supplies drinking water to nearby communities. Mining in the area could potentially affect water quality, though supporters argue the region's mineral resources are economically important for jobs and domestic mineral production.