Polls show wide opposition to mines near BWCAW

REGIONAL— Two new polls conducted this month both reflect strong public opposition in Minnesota to new mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and support for action at the state level to permanently protect watersheds located upstream of the 1.1-million-acre wilderness. One of the polls, commissioned by the Save the Boundary Waters Action Fund, and conducted by Impact Research, also found broad public support for Gov. Tim Walz’s August executive order that temporarily suspended state work related to the proposed Twin Metals mine, near Ely.
A separate Minnesota Poll commissioned by the Star Tribune and KARE 11 finds that opposition to new mining near the BWCAW has grown, with 67 percent of Minnesotans saying they oppose mines that could threaten the canoe country. Twenty-six percent say they support the new mines.
Even residents of northern Minnesota, surveyed for both polls, expressed similar views, albeit not by as wide a margin as in other parts of the state. Specifically, the Minnesota Poll found that 56 percent of northern Minnesotans opposed new mines near the BWCAW, while only 35 percent indicated support. Meanwhile, the Impact Research poll found that 64 percent of residents of the Eighth Congressional District favored permanent protection of BWCAW watersheds from new mines. Statewide, the poll found 74-percent support for permanent protection.
The Impact Research poll was the only one to attempt to gauge public support for Gov. Tim Walz’s recent executive order suspending state work related to the Twin Metals project. The survey found 71-percent support for Walz’s action, while 24 percent opposed it. Among those surveyed in the Eighth District, 56 percent of respondents expressed support for the order, while 39 percent opposed it.
Both polls suggest that opposition to new mining near the BWCAW has increased over time, as has support for permanent state-level protections. The last time the Minnesota Poll asked the question, back in 2020, 60 percent of respondents indicated opposition to new mines near the wilderness, compared to the 67-percent support found in its most recent survey. The poll also found that support for new mines increased modestly, from 22 percent in 2020 to 26 percent in the most recent survey. That reflects the fact that the number of Minnesotans who remain undecided on the subject has declined significantly. Overall, just seven percent of Minnesotans indicated they remain undecided on the subject in the recent poll, compared to 18 percent back in 2020.
The poll found the largest increase in opposition to new mining came from respondents who identify as independents, with opposition among that group of respondents increasing by 17 points to 76 percent opposition. Meanwhile, 87 percent of DFL leaning respondents opposed new mines near the wilderness, while Republicans supported new mining near the BWCAW, 56-35 percent.
The Impact Research poll found similar growth in support for permanent state legislation to protect BWCAW watersheds. Its most recent poll found 74 percent support for legislative action to enact permanent protection, while 16 percent opposed it. That reflects a significant increase in support over the past year. The same question asked in 2025, found 61 percent support for permanent protection, with 24 percent opposed.
“Minnesotans have never been more clear about their love for the Boundary Waters and their desire to see it protected permanently,” said Ingrid Lyons, Executive Director of Save the Boundary Waters Action Fund, in response to the poll results. “Support for protecting the Boundary Waters watershed from sulfide-ore copper mining is at an all-time high at 74 percent. Now is the moment for our elected officials to listen to Minnesotans and ensure this irreplaceable landscape is protected for generations to come,” she added.