Bipartisan Permitting Deal Offers Hope for Decreasing U.S. Dependence on Foreign Rivals

What you need to know

• The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced bipartisan energy permitting reform legislation to accelerate the permitting process for essential U.S. mining projects.
• A new S&P Global report found that it takes an average of 29 years to bring new U.S. mines online, the second longest time in the world – and five times longer than it took to build the transcontinental railroad.

Letter from the President and CEO

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approval of the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 marks an historic moment for U.S. mining policy. With the bipartisan permitting package now in the Senate’s hands, we urge lawmakers to seize this opportunity to address our cumbersome, uncoordinated permitting processes that hinder domestic mineral mining and keep us bound to mineral imports from geopolitical rivals.

In fact, a new S&P report found that action is more urgent than ever. The report found that bringing a new mine online in the U.S. takes 29 years on average – longer than any other country in the world besides Zambia. For perspective, that’s more than six times as long as it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge. It demonstrates the striking disparity between our nation’s vast mineral resources and our ability to access them.

I thank Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Joe Manchin and Ranking Member John Barrasso for championing this new bill, which would help to secure our minerals supply chain, support a stronger economy and build a stronger country.

Thank you,

Rich Nolan
NMA President and CEO