Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) has gained a reputation as a climate champion. He mandated zero-carbon electricity for the state by 2040, boosted subsidies for electric vehicles and pushed through permitting changes to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy. But some environmental groups contend that the Democratic veep nominee has had a lackluster record on mining — perhaps the most contentious part of the energy transition. As I reported this week, Walz’s administration is credited with protecting the state’s vast Boundary Waters, a pristine area near the Canadian border. But some environmental advocates say state agencies under his watch haven’t blocked mining, even near watersheds that conservationists and tribes say should be protected. “On many issues, he's been very strong for the environment, but on this one, he's been on the sidelines,” Chris Knopf, executive director of Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, explained to me. “That's sort of the political calculus that Governor Walz is making there ... to not really address the issue as a way of maintaining the political coalition.” It’s part of a tightrope that Walz and Democrats across the nation are walking: protecting the environment while promoting economic development and securing resources necessary for the energy transition — without relying on imports from countries such as China. Former President Donald Trump, who’s campaigned in the region twice since May, has zeroed in on Walz’s mining record as a line of attack against Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, even vowing on the campaign trail to open the state’s Iron Range by reversing the Biden administration’s 20-year mining ban. Kathryn Hoffman, CEO of Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said she supports Walz’s overall work on climate and energy but is disappointed that his administration defended the proposed NorthMet open-pit copper and nickel mine in court. If Harris wins, Hoffman said she hopes Walz will push for stronger regulations for proposed mines and emphasize mineral recycling. An evolution? A closer look at Walz’s broader record on energy and climate shows a shift is possible. As my colleagues Emma Dumain, Kelsey Brugger and Nico Portuondo report today, Walz was hardly known for forging an ambitious climate record during his six terms repping a largely rural, red district in the House. He voted to complete construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and was at one point touting legislation with Republicans that would fund infrastructure projects with revenue from expanded oil and gas drilling. At other times, Walz took heat back home for ambitious moves on the Hill, including his decisive vote in 2009 to help House Democrats pass a cap-and-trade bill that eventually fizzled in the Senate. “When you’re governor, clearly you’re going to take on a broader set of issues as priorities. Climate change is no exception,” said Trent Bauserman, who worked in the Obama White House and as a climate adviser to former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). “I think he has evolved as his role has evolved and the issue of climate change has evolved.”
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