The Senate voted 50-49 on April 16, 2026, to overturn a 20-year mining ban near Minnesota's Boundary Waters, clearing the way for Twin Metals to pursue an underground copper mine near Ely. Conservation groups say the mine poses serious pollution risks to one of the most visited federally protected wilderness areas in the US, and the decision now goes to President Trump's desk. This reverses protections put in place during the Biden administration.