Sponsor
Nathaniel Moran
Representative · R-TX
Representative · R-TX
The bill lets the Army monetize and recover minerals and accept in‑kind industrial improvements to support operations and build domestic critical mineral supplies, but it raises environmental, oversight, contractor‑cost, and potential mission‑interference risks that must be tightly managed.
Defense and domestic industry gain a new domestic source of strategic and critical minerals by enabling recovery from Army-controlled lands and waste streams, strengthening supply chains for defense and civilian industries.
Army industrial facilities and the Department of the Army can receive cash or in-kind minerals that provide funds or resources to support facility operations, maintenance, modernization, or remediation.
Army industrial sites can accept in-kind industrial improvements (equipment, tooling, process upgrades) that directly support mission sustainment and modernization at lower immediate cash outlay.
Communities near Army lands face increased risk of environmental harms (contamination, off‑site migration) from extractive activities that could require long‑term monitoring and remediation.
Using Army facilities and waste streams for commercial extraction could interfere with military missions or create operational risks if not tightly managed.
Allowing retained cash and in-kind receipts to be used without further appropriation may reduce congressional budgetary oversight and limit transparency over how these funds or materials are spent.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes non‑Army entities to recover and process strategic/critical minerals at Army industrial sites subject to environmental law, contractor liability, financial assurance, and payment to the Army.
Official title: To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize cooperative partnerships for mineral extraction activities at Army organic industrial base facilities, and for other purposes.
Introduced May 13, 2026 by Nathaniel Moran · Last progress May 13, 2026
Authorizes the Army to allow non‑Army entities to recover, process, or handle strategic and critical minerals using Army industrial land, facilities, infrastructure, waste streams, or byproducts, and imposes environmental and financial responsibilities on those partners. Contracts must require compliance with federal, state, and local environmental law (explicitly citing NEPA and the Clean Air Act), indemnification to the maximum extent permitted by law, and financial assurance (bonds, insurance, or other security); the Army must receive reasonable consideration (cash or in‑kind) for use of its assets. The change amends an existing statute governing Army industrial facilities to add mineral extraction as a permitted activity, attaches explicit liability and remediation obligations to contractors or cooperative partners (including post‑termination and off‑facility migration), and requires the Secretary of the Army to set reasonable compensation for use of Army resources and risks assumed by partners.