Currently, the United States relies upon the rest of the world for its supply of many critical minerals. We now import 100 percent of 19 key mineral materials and more than 50 percent of an additional 24 in order to meet our nation’s needs.
This must stop. Take Action now!
Our nation has a vast mineral supply, but permitting delays that can last a decade – or longer – are preventing the nation from harnessing these domestic resources. We need these minerals for everything from the high-tech components that go in our cell phones and home computers to the military hardware that protects our nation.
Minerals production also means jobs. From the mine sites to the factory floors where minerals are turned into the products we use every day, minerals are the building blocks that drive the economy. Many sectors – from manufacturing to agriculture to transportation infrastructure – would feel the impact of an efficient domestic minerals policy.
These minerals are too important to our nation and our economy to continue to be hampered by debilitating permitting delays. The time has come to make a change.
Nevada Rep. Mark Amodei (R) last week introduced a bill, H.R. 761, the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013,” which is designed to more efficiently develop our domestic supply of minerals and streamline the permitting process.
"In the 2012 ranking of countries for mining investment, the United States ranked last in permitting delays," said Rep. Amodei. "Duplicative regulations, bureaucratic inefficiency, and lack of coordination between federal agencies are threatening the economic recovery of my home state and jeopardizing our national security.”
The United States cannot continue to ignore the need to fix our minerals policies and permitting process – please Take Action now and encourage your lawmakers to co-sponsor H.R. 761, the “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013.”
Click here to Take Action!
Thank you.
ACT for Mining [actonline@nma.org]
