New mining near Ely, MN and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is still years down the road. But mining companies are drilling core samples and testing new forms of pollution control technology in anticipation of its beginning.
Hot Topics
Pollution Control Agency Ramping up Water Monitoring
State and local organizations, and even citizens, will begin monitoring lakes, rivers and streams in Minnesota’s Lake Superior North Watershed. It’s part of a new monitoring approach by the Minnesota Pollution …
Breaking Ground at the Bear Center
The North American Bear Center in Ely, MN, broke ground this week on its facility expansion. The project will double the size of the facility, which facilitates research, education and public …
Potential Auction of Mining Leases Draws Protest
State plans to auction off more leases for mining are drawing protest.
Ely, MN Bear Center Undertaking $1 Million Expansion
The North American Bear Center just began a $1 million expansion of its Ely, MN facility.
This Fall, Fires an Ever Changing Presence in the North
It’s starting to feel like Ground Hog’s Day–the Forest Service has suppressed fires near Parley Lake and Hoist Bay and reopened those areas of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. But …
U.S. House Passes Boundary Waters Land Swap Bill
A land swap bill that would swap 86,000 acres of state lands inside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for federal land on the edge of the Superior National Forest has passed the U.S. House of Representatives.
New Fires Burn in the Boundary Waters
Not long after the Forest Service contained the Cummings Lake Fire, new fires cropped up adjacent to and in the northern parts of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The Parley …
Cummings Lake Fire an Example of New Forest Service Fire Fighting Policy
Lake and area closures have been lifted in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, though fire restrictions remain in place HERE. The suppression of the recent Cummings Lake Fire has prompted …
Boundary Waters Fires are Out, Closures Remain in Effect
The Cummings Lake Fire about 12 miles northwest of Ely, MN and the Wooden Leg Fire about 22 miles northeast of the town are officially out. According to an article in …
Spot Fires Prompt Forest Service to Close Some Lakes in BWCAW
Fire crews have made progress containing the Cummings Lake Fire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Located about 12 miles northwest of Ely, MN, recent Forest Service estimates place the fire at 60 percent contained.
Wildfire Burns Near Ely
Fire crews are battling a fire near Ely, MN. The fire was reported on Sunday afternoon and is burning on a peninsula between the west end of Cummings and the northeast side of Otter Lake. Current estimates place the fire at about 20 acres in size.
Saving the Pow Wow Trail
The Forest Service is considering closing the 30-mile Pow Wow Trail through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, but one group of hikers is hoping to prevent that.
EPA Might Step in on Haze Control
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may step in and require stricter regulations for reducing taconite plant plant emissions than plans proposed by Minnesota and Michigan.
Cell Tower Ruling Stands, Construction Could Begin This Week
The Minnesota Supreme Court announced last week that it will not review a Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling allowing the construction of a 450-foot cell phone tower on Fall Lake, just outside of Ely, MN.
Trust for Public Land: Protecting Gaul Island
How a collaborative effort is transferring private land to public stewardship. By Alissa Johnson In the summer of 2010, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) received an inquiry from the Listening …
Mining in Minnesota: Ely’s Steve Piragis Offers His Take on Keeping Wilderness Pristine
As northwoods mining takes center stage on the economic and environmental stages, a long time land use debate is resurfacing among neighbors who make Ely, MN their home. Steve Piragis, owner of Piragis Northwoods Company, is no stranger to that debate. He and his wife have run their shop and guide service since 1979.
Environmental Groups Challenge Wilderness Haze Plan
Environmental groups are challenging Minnesota’s plan to reduce haze in places like the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Voyageurs National Park.
Working Together to Protect Wilderness
The Summer 2012 Issue of Wilderness News is in the mail and now online. The theme is Working Together to Protect Wilderness — check out a few highlights below. What’s …
Proposed Legislation Could Undermine the Wilderness Act and the Protection of Wilderness
On the surface, two proposed pieces of legislation appear unrelated to wilderness protection. The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act seeks “to protect and enhance opportunities for recreational hunting, fishing and shooting.” The National …