National Mining Association (NMA) President and CEO Hal Quinn released the following statement today upon passage of the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013” (H.R. 761) by the House Natural Resources Committee:
“The ‘National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013,’ approved today by the House Natural Resources Committee, would streamline the permitting system for U.S. mining and reverse a 30-year trend of increasing import reliance for minerals we have here at home.
“The United States is endowed with $6.2 trillion worth of key minerals waiting to be tapped, but our lengthy, outdated and duplicative permitting system discourages investment and hinders economic growth in the downstream industries that depend on a secure and reliable mineral supply chain.
“This bi-partisan legislation carefully and credibly addresses the shortcomings of our outdated and underperforming permitting system within the framework of the environmental and other protections provided by current laws and regulations. By incorporating best practices and coordination between federal and state agencies, H.R.761 provides for efficient, timely and thorough permit reviews needed to sustain a secure and reliable domestic mineral supply chain. NMA applauds the committee’s passage of the legislation and urges the House to move forward decisively and pass H.R. 761.”