Rich Nolan, President & CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), will today testify before the U.S. House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee on the need for durable and lasting permitting reforms and H.R.4776, the bipartisan SPEED Act.
Excerpts from his opening comments follow:
- “Energy and mineral demands are skyrocketing with virtually every country now competing to secure its supply chains from the ground up. And, frankly, the U.S. is trying to win a race that we have only just entered, decades behind our competitors. Fortunately, we have a Congress and administration that understand that reestablishing the U.S. as an industrial powerhouse begins when are materials and fuels are mined and produced in America.”
- “U.S. electricity demand is projected to double by 2050. We need every megawatt of power currently available on our grid—and much more. If we are going to reliably address this rapid growth, the math doesn’t work without coal.”
- “Similarly, demand for minerals is increasing dramatically.… If we want to win the AI race, we need more minerals sourced here at home. This isn’t only an economic imperative; it’s a national security requirement.”
- “A recent report by S&P Global found it takes an average of 29 years to bring a mine online in the United States. …We are standing in our own way. …For too long we’ve watched the global minerals and energy race from the sidelines, while China has strategically built market share, control and capacity. Trapped behind self-imposed obstacles that add nothing to environmental reviews, we’re in a disadvantaged position of our own making. But with the right policies, like H.R. 4776, the U.S. can reduce reliance on imported minerals and create high-paying American jobs.”
To access his full testimony, click here.