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Prove It First

Commonsense Protection for the Boundary Waters & Lake Superior

Commonsense Protection for the
Boundary Waters & Lake Superior

Copper-sulfide mining is the greatest threat to Minnesota’s clean water in decades.

Before a copper-sulfide mine in Minnesota could be permitted, the Prove It First Law would require independent scientific proof that a copper-sulfide mine has operated elsewhere in the United States for at least ten years without causing pollution and that the mine has been closed for at least ten years without causing pollution.

The commonsense logic of the Prove It First Law is clear: before risky sulfide mining moves forward in Minnesota, there should be at least one example in the United States where it has been done safely.

If no copper-sulfide mine has met these standards, why would we let Minnesota’s clean waters be the guinea pig?

The proposed Prove It First Law is modeled on a Wisconsin law that was in effect from 1998 until 2017 but was repealed through the efforts of former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. During the period in which this law was in effect, Wisconsin did not permit any copper-sulfide mines.

Prove It First

Coalition Members

Legislative Champions

State Senators

Senator Liz Boldon
Liz Boldon
Senator
Sen. Bobby Joe Champion
Bobby Joe Champion
Senator
Senator Jim Carlson
Jim Carlson
Senator
Senator Steve Cwodzinski
Steve Cwodzinski
Senator
Senator Scott Dibble
Scott Dibble
Senator
Sen. Kari Diedzic
Kari Dziedzic
Senator
Senator Omar Fateh
Omar Fateh
Senator
Senator Heather Gustafson
Heather Gustafson
Senator Foung Hawj
Foung Hawj
Senator
Senator Mary Kunesh
Mary Kunesh
Senator
Senator Alice Mann
Alice Mann
Senate
Senator John Marty
John Marty
Senator
Senator Jen McEwen
Jen McEwen
Senator
Senator Nicole Mitchell
Nicole Mitchell
Senator
Senator Zaynab Mohamed
Zaynab Mohamed
Senator
Senator Kelly Morrison
Kelly Morrison
Senator
Senator Sandy Pappas
Sandy Pappas
Senator
Senator Susan Pha
Susan Pha
Senator
Senator Lindsey Port
Lindsey Port
Senator
Senator Aric Putnam
Aric Putnam
Senator
Sen. Erin Maye Quade
Erin Maye Quade
Senator
Senator Ann Rest
Ann Rest
Senator
Senator Bonnie Westlin
Bonnie Westlin
Senator
Sen. Melissa Wiklund
Melissa Wiklund
Senator
Senator Tou Xiong
Tou Xiong
Senator

State Representatives

Rep Patty Acomb
Patty Acomb
Representative
Rep Esther Agbaje
Esther Agbaje
Representative
Rep. Kristin Bahner
Kristin Bahner
Representative
Rep Jamie Becker-Finn
Jamie Becker-Finn
Representative
Rep Kaela Berg
Kaela Berg
Representative
Rep Robert Bierman
Robert Bierman
Representative
Rep. Jeff Brand
Jeff Brand
Representative
Rep. Ethan Cha
Ethan Cha
Representative
Rep. Mary Frances Clardy
Mary Frances Clardy
Representative
Representative Nathan Coulter
Nathan Coulter
Representative
Representative Brion Curran
Brion Curran
Representative
Rep Heather Edelson
Heather Edelson
Representative
Representative Leigh Finke
Leigh Finke
Representative
Rep Sandra Feist
Sandra Feist
Representative
Rep Peter Fischer
Peter Fischer
Representative
Rep Cedrick Frazier
Cedrick Frazier
Representative
Rep Mike Freiberg
Mike Freiberg
Representative
Rep Aisha Gomez
Aisha Gomez
Representative
Representative Jess Hanson
Jess Hanson
Representative
Rep Hodan Hassan
Hodan Hassan
Representative
Rep. Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger
Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger
Representative
Rep. Kaohly Her
Kaohly Her
Representative
Representative Kim Hicks
Kim Hicks
Representative
Rep Athena Hollins
Athena Hollins
Representative
Representative Michael Howard
Michael Howard
Representative
Rep Frank Hornstein
Frank Hornstein
Representative
Rep. Samakab Hussein
Samakab Hussein
Representative
Representative Maria Isa Pérez-Vega
Maria Isa Pérez-Vega
Representative
Rep Sydney Jordan
Sydney Jordan
Representative
Rep Heather Keeler
Heather Keeler
Representative
Rep. Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
Representative
Representative Alicia Kozlowski
Alicia Kozlowski
Representative
Rep Fue Lee
Fue Lee
Representative
Representative Liz Lee
Liz Lee
Representative
Rep Tina Liebling
Tina Liebling
Representative
Rep Leon Lillie
Leon Lillie
Representative
Rep Jamie Long
Jamie Long
Representative
Rep Kelly Moller
Kelly Moller
Representative
Representative Jerry Newton
Jerry Newton
Representative
Rep Mohamud Noor
Mohamud Noor
Representative
Rep. Matt Norris
Matt Norris
Representative
Rep Laurie Pryor
Laurie Pryor
Representative
Rep. Kristi Purcell
Kristi Purcell
Representative
Representative Lucy Rehm
Lucy Rehm
Representative
Rep Liz Reyer
Liz Reyer
Representative
Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura
Samantha Sencer-Mura
Representative
Rep. Andy Smith
Andy Smith
Representative
Rep Samantha Vang
Samantha Vang
Representative
Rep Bianca Virnig
Bianca Virnig
Representative
Rep Jay Xiong
Jay Xiong
Representative