Washington Post [no paywall]: “Congress ends ban on mining near Minnesota’s pristine Boundary Waters. The Senate repealed the Biden-era moratorium that safeguarded America’s most-visited wilderness, with the measure now going to Trump for his signature. The Senate voted 50-49 on Thursday to repeal a ban on mining near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota, a significant step toward reviving a controversial project to mine a portion of the world’s largest undeveloped copper and nickel deposits. The resolution lifts a 20-year moratorium, put in place by President Joe Biden’s administration in 2023, on mining in 225,000 acres in the Superior National Forest. The measure already has been approved by the House and now will head to the desk of President Donald Trump, who has spoken in favor of the mine on the campaign trail and is likely to sign the bill. The vote Thursday came after one of Minnesota’s senators, Tina Smith (D), spoke for nearly five hours on the Senate floor Wednesday evening, as part of an effort with colleagues to stop what she called a harmful and shortsighted resolution. “I know there are so many people in Minnesota who are wondering whether anybody in this building cares about what they think,” Smith said overnight. “The one thing that I can do is to be here speaking to this mostly empty room, making sure to the best of my abilities that their voices will be heard.” She implored colleagues to prioritize the safeguarding of the nation’s most-visited wilderness area, with its pristine lakes and unspoiled vistas. “I dearly hope that the members of this body will think about their legacy in protecting the great places in this country,” Smith said. Two Republicans, Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, voted against the proposal.