House lawmakers this week will consider legislation that would inject more than $80 million into federal mineral mapping and expand the number of projects eligible for streamlined permitting, part of the effort to counter China’s dominance of critical minerals mining.
The House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources will discuss H.R. 8003, the Expanding the Fast Track Act, from Reps. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) and Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), which would broaden the scope of projects eligible for accelerated environmental reviews through the federal Permitting Council.
The council helps projects worth $200 million or more navigate an array of federal agencies. This bill would lower that threshold to $50 million. Eric Beightel, former Permitting Council executive director is set to testify during the hearing.
Also up for debate is H.R. 9640, the Earth MRI Reauthorization Act, from Reps. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), which would set aside $84 million to reauthorize the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, an effort to identify geologic formations — using aircraft, radar and land surveys — that could contain critical minerals.
