WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Mining Association (NMA) today issued the following statement from Rich Nolan, NMA President and CEO, urging bipartisan support for much-needed permitting reform.
“The hardrock mining industry has called for modernization of the nation’s broken permitting system for decades. Proposals for reform from Senators Manchin and Capito, Representatives Westerman and Stauber, and others, are a clear, bipartisan recognition of the urgent need to enact changes. Each of these proposals contains vital steps forward – but they are only the first steps in what will be a long road to responsibly address the outdated, burdensome regulatory process without compromising the environmental rigor our permitting system is known for. With an estimated 300-plus new minerals mines needed to meet the demand for battery technologies alone in the next 10 years, the U.S. can no longer afford to be a bystander. We can either act now to address our broken permit system and move with needed urgency to create secure, domestic supply chains and high-quality jobs, or watch as our geopolitical rivals take further advantage of the clear need, strengthening their economies, and tightening their grip on the essential material supply chains of the future. The clock is ticking; Congress should come together to support these needed reforms now.”
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