EMA Statement on the Department of the Interior’s Recommendations on Mining Reform

Arlington, Va., Sept. 13, 2023 – The Essential Minerals Association’s President Chris Greissing today issued the following statement in response to the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Interagency Working Group (IWG) recommendations on mining:

“Many of the changes proposed by the IWG’s report will not enable a single U.S. mining company to more easily or affordably provide the minerals needed for everyday life and the green energy transition. The recommendations set forth by the report are out of touch with the realities in which mining companies operate in today’s business climate and do little to alleviate the pressures these companies face.”

“The United States does not have a domestic mineral supply chain crisis because the General Mining Law does not impose a royalty on hardrock mining on federal land or enacting a so-called “dirt tax,” and the creation of such a fees will not resolve this crisis but will instead exacerbate it. The supply chain crisis is caused by our dependence upon hostile foreign sources for important mineral resources, and this dependence is the result of the massive costs and permitting challenges to opening and operating a domestic mine.

“The IWG report is seemingly at odds with the Biden Administration’s stated goals of shoring up our domestic supply of critical minerals needed for the green energy transition and the production of everyday goods. These recommendations would be extremely costly to an industry already operating on thin margins and duplicative of other federal requirements. Additionally, virtually all of these proposed changes were rejected in 2022 when the Democratic-controlled Congress passed the Build Back Better reconciliation plan on a party-line vote.

“We highly suggest any changes to the General Mining Law focus on enabling production through common sense permitting reform rather than slowing the process down through red tape.”

The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) is the representative voice for companies that extract and process a vital and beneficial group of raw materials and minerals, which are the essential ingredients for many of the products used in everyday life. Formerly, the Industrial Minerals Association – North America, EMA ensures that the voices of its member companies and the socio-economic benefits they provide – from mining to end-use products – are heard by government leaders as well as the general public. Visit essentialminerals.org to learn more.

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