Superior National Forest Restoration Act of 2025

This bill would reopen parts of Minnesota’s Superior National Forest to mining. It cancels a 2023 federal order that had withdrawn certain federal lands in Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties from mining, and it tells the government to restore canceled mineral leases and permits on those lands. It also sets strict deadlines for reviewing mine plans and issuing needed permits, so reviews move faster.

Canceled mineral leases and permits must be reissued. Prospecting permits come back with their original terms. Mineral and “preference right” leases get a 20‑year initial term starting at enactment, plus an automatic right to renew five more times for 10 years each; rent and royalty terms can be adjusted at renewal. These reissued leases and permits cannot be challenged in court. Within five days of enactment, the government must also grant preference right leases to certain applicants who were previously rejected but had a preliminary finding that valuable minerals may be present. The bill lets the government permit use of nearby surface lands needed for exploration and development tied to a lease .

Key points

• Who is affected: Mining lease and permit holders and applicants in the Superior National Forest; communities in Cook, Lake, and St. Louis Counties, Minnesota; and the federal agencies that review mine plans and permits.
• What changes: The 2023 land withdrawal is rescinded; canceled leases/permits are restored with longer terms and automatic renewals; court challenges to those reissued leases are blocked; agencies must finish environmental and regulatory reviews on a fixed timeline; certain rejected applications must be approved; surface land use permits may be issued for related activities .
• When: Deadlines start at enactment. Mine plans submitted within 10 years must be reviewed within 18 months; supplemental reviews within 6 months; permits within 6 months after plan approval. Preference right leases meeting the criteria must be granted within 5 days of enactment; reissued mineral leases start with a 20‑year term at enactment.