WASHINGTON - U.S. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the passage of their bipartisan Mining Regulatory Clarity Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, and called for the Senate to move quickly on the bill.
“Domestic mineral production is an economic, energy, and national security imperative," said Risch. "With the House passage of our Mining Regulatory Clarity Act, we are one step closer to cutting red tape that prevents many projects from moving forward. I strongly urge Leaders Schumer and McConnell to bring this bill to the Senate floor for full consideration and passage.”
“Everything from lithium-ion batteries to satellites relies on critical minerals, and we should be responsibly mining those right here in the U.S.,” said Cortez Masto. “Without a fix, the Rosemont decision could upend existing and future mining projects, threatening thousands of jobs in Nevada and across the West. That’s unacceptable for our communities and for our clean energy future.”
The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act would protect critical mineral production in the west. The bill would address the recent Rosemont judicial decision, which could threaten responsible mining projects across the west. The House-passed bill text includes language confirming that the legislation does not give mining companies unrestricted access to federal land, allow mining in parks and protected areas, prohibit the construction of renewable energy projects on public lands, or undermine Tribal rights.
The legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). Congressman Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) introduced the bill in the House of Representatives.
