New Statewide Survey Shows Clean Water is the Top Issue Uniting Minnesotans

The Water Over Nickel-sponsored survey also highlights a need to better understand potential risk

ONAMIA, Minn., July 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Water Over Nickel, an initiative led by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, today released the results of the first-ever Minnesota Water Outlook survey* assessing Minnesotans' connection to clean water. The survey revealed a significant disconnect between Minnesotans' shared values around clean water and collective awareness of current risks threatening the resource.

Clean water unites Minnesotans

The Minnesota Water Outlook survey polled 1,000+ Minnesotans in March 2025 across all ages, genders, and key regions*. The data shows that Minnesotans are united in their connection to clean water:

• 86% of Minnesotans say protecting water is very or extremely important
• 85% believe clean water is part of Minnesota's identity, ranking it above all other issues surveyed
• 95% say we must protect water for future generations

Majority of Minnesotans don't understand potential threats to clean water

However, more than half of Minnesotans surveyed (58%) are unaware of the impact of nickel mining on water quality, and only 16% are aware of a proposed nickel mine that could endanger watersheds along the Mississippi River and throughout the metro area.

"This data confirms that clean water is at the heart of who we are as Minnesotans," said Kelly Applegate, Commissioner of Natural Resources of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe. "But it also reveals a critical gap in understanding. We have an opportunity for Minnesotans to learn more about the risks posed by nickel mining practices and explore alternative, sustainable solutions, before it's too late."

Nickel mines present a serious environmental risk. The metal mining sector accounted for 44% of toxic releases (1.43 billion pounds) according to the Environmental Protection Agency, which were primarily in the form of on-site land disposal. The risk is particularly significant in water-rich environments, like the region surrounding the proposed Tamarack Mine in Aitkin County, Minnesota, which sits upstream of vital drinking water sources and ecologically significant sites, including the Mississippi and St. Croix River basins.

"There has never been a clean nickel mine," said Kathryn Hoffman, CEO, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. "These operations create acid mine drainage that threatens aquatic life, groundwater, and sacred ecosystems. The science is clear: nickel mining in water-rich environments like Minnesota leaves lasting damage in the surrounding areas and communities."

No alternative to water

"Now is the time to take action. Protecting clean water is not just about the present, it's about preserving an irreplaceable, essential resource," said Applegate. "Water is our most critical resource. There is no alternative: once clean water is polluted, there's no going back."

Water Over Nickel is a Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe-led initiative that aims to protect clean water, land and cultural resources from the negative impacts of mining. Water Over Nickel ensures Indigenous voices and concerns about the impact of nickel mining on native communities will be heard and acknowledged. 

"The decisions we make regarding Minnesota's water today will have ripple effects for generations," said Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Chief Executive Virgil Wind. "We don't inherit the land from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children,"

*The Minnesota Water Outlook survey of 1005 Minnesotans (balanced to the state's geographic population) was conducted and analyzed by Hive Collaborative, March 2025.

About Water Over Nickel
Water Over Nickel is an initiative led by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and supported by allied organizations to protect Minnesota's water, people, natural resources, and cultural sites from the negative impact of nickel mining. Our efforts are grounded in our commitment to preserve Minnesota's natural environment and water resources for generations to come. Visit WaterOverNickel.com to learn more and take action.

SOURCE Non-Removable Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe