• NMA Commends Sen. Daines and Rep. Zinke for Strengthening Stakeholder Participation in Interior Department’s Decision-Making Process

NMA Commends Sen. Daines and Rep. Zinke for Strengthening Stakeholder Participation in Interior Department’s Decision-Making Process

National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn released the following statement today in support of S. 2938 by Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and H.R. 5259, a companion bill by Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), to strengthen the voice of states and tribes in the promulgation of federal policies and regulations that can have significant economic impacts on their communities:

“The legislation introduced by Senator Daines and Congressman Zinke today brings fairness, stakeholder input, and transparency to the Department of the Interior’s activities related to the Mineral Leasing Act.

“Americans who are most directly impacted by federal land revenue decisions must be given every opportunity to help the department understand the economic consequences of such actions to their communities before it is too late. The introduction of these bills is particularly timely, as it coincides with the first of six of the department’s public scoping meetings starting today in Wyoming that are ostensibly designed to ‘fix’ the federal coal leasing program.

“Far from being broken, the coal lease program currently works well for states and tribes. Unfortunately, some suggestions for ‘fixing’ it would jeopardize the substantial revenues the program generates for state and tribal budgets and for local, high-wage employment.

“NMA therefore supports the introduction and passage of theCertainty for States and Tribes Act as both a timely and necessary measure to help ensure local economies aren’t sacrificed in federal land use decisions.”

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