Critical Minerals Bill Backed by Interior, But Funding, Research Questions Raised

摘要

Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) critical minerals bill has the right goal, but federal funding issues and recycling research questions could present obstacles, an Interior Department official and a Senate Democrat said at a May 12 hearing. The American Mineral Security Act of 2015 (S. 883), the subject of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing, aims to make the U.S. less reliant on other countries for critical minerals used in technology for clean energy, defense and even cell phones. The bill would /streamline permitting for certain mines, among other actions, but Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) expressed concern regarding the lack of environmental focus in the bill, and Suzette Kimball, acting director for the U.S. Geological Survey, said the activities authorized would be competing for department funds.