The following description comes from the Prove-it-First campaign page.
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The proposed Prove It First Law is modeled on a Wisconsin law that was in effect from 1998 until 2017 but was repealed through the efforts of former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.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.
See a January 2021 ABC story HERE and the Campaign Website Here.