September 9, 2026
Saint Paul, MN– State Representative Jeff Backer, R-Browns Valley, issued the following statement in response to Gov. Walz’s Executive Order effectively banning the mining of nonferrous metals on the Iron Range:
“Yesterday’s decision by Governor Walz is a devastating blow to the Iron Range and communities across the Northland,” said Backer. “Minnesota already has some of the strongest environmental protections and most rigorous permitting standards in the world. Rather than allowing that process to work, Gov. Walz is once again putting politics ahead of the process and shutting the door on responsible mining in Minnesota. That doesn’t eliminate the need for these jobs or critical minerals; it simply sends them somewhere else, including countries with weaker environmental standards, fewer labor protections, and, in some cases, governments that are openly hostile to the United States.
“Politicians in St. Paul should not be deciding the outcome of a project before the review process is complete. Let the science and review process work. Let our Northern communities have a voice. And then let the facts determine the outcome.”
