Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 2925 - Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2024

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House Rules)
(Rep. Amodei, R-NV, and one cosponsor)

The Administration strongly opposes H.R. 2925, which would give mining companies the right to use, occupy, and conduct operations on any public lands - including to permanently store mining waste - without discovering a valuable mineral deposit underneath their mining claims, a central requirement of mining law for more than 150 years. H.R. 2925 could upend public land management, allowing private speculators to influence the use of public lands with little or no mineral potential. There is a growing need for responsibly-sourced critical minerals to meet our clean energy, infrastructure, and global competitiveness goals. The Administration is committed to meeting these critical minerals needs while upholding strong environmental, sustainability, safety, Tribal consultation, and community engagement standards. However, H.R. 2925 undercuts that effort and could allow mining companies, or any individual, to manipulate the mining claims process to, for example, slow a solar, wind, or transmission project, or recreation area simply by filing a claim, and paying a nominal fee, thereby exercising their new right to impede other development activities.

Since the 9th Circuit Court's Rosemont decision, the Department of the Interior issued a Solicitor's M-Opinion that clarifies its interpretation of the mining laws and allows mine permitting to move forward. H.R. 2925 is unnecessary, threatens to undermine important clean energy and conservation goals, and detracts from efforts for comprehensive reform. The Administration strongly opposes this bill.