National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn issued the following statement in response to Senate reintroduction of the latest version of the “Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act”:
“The recently re-introduced ‘Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act’ will lock-in and accelerate America’s growing dependence on foreign imports of metals and minerals. The U.S. mining industry already faces the highest total tax burden and most inefficient permitting system in the world.
“In a time when the U.S. is more import reliant than ever for the minerals we need to support U.S. infrastructure projects, domestic manufacturing and technology development, this bill responds by adding new taxes and more red tape with the inevitable result of less output and fewer jobs.
“Instead of reintroducing bills that further disadvantage American industry, we should be looking for ways to produce more of the minerals our country needs domestically. A good start would be updating the cumbersome hardrock permitting process, which can take seven to 10 years on average.”