Sponsors (12)
The bill accelerates and guarantees multi-decade mining leases and fast-tracks permitting to provide regulatory certainty and revive development for mining interests, at the cost of greater local environmental and health risks, reduced judicial oversight, and potential taxpayer liability for remediation.
Mining companies and lessees regain canceled leases and permits and receive long-term (20-year plus renewable) operational security, enabling resumed or expanded mining investment and operations.
Applicants (including preference-right applicants rejected after Jan 31, 2021) gain faster, more certain approvals because NEPA and related reviews are placed on fixed accelerated timelines (18 months for plans, 6 months for supplements) and specified leases must be issued quickly, reducing permitting uncertainty and delay.
Residents, rural communities and downstream users near the Superior National Forest face increased risk of water-quality, watershed and other environmental and health harms because expedited approvals and reinstated long-term leases are likely to accelerate mining activity with less time for thorough environmental review.
Local governments, citizens and advocacy groups will have reduced ability to challenge reissued leases and permits in court because the bill limits judicial review, constraining legal recourse and public oversight.
Taxpayers could face increased financial liability for cleanup and long-term remediation if expedited permitting and weakened review result in inadequate mitigation of mining impacts.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Rescinds a public land order for Superior National Forest lands, expedites NEPA reviews, and mandates reissuance of canceled mineral leases and permits with set multi-decade terms and limited judicial review.
Rescinds a prior public land order affecting Superior National Forest lands and directs expedited processing and reissuance of mineral authorizations on those lands. It requires the secretaries to complete NEPA and related reviews for Mine Plans of Operation filed or refiled within 10 years within 18 months, shortens review times for supplemental filings, and mandates reissuance of certain canceled mineral leases, preference-right leases, and prospecting permits on specified terms. Reissued mineral and preference leases receive a 20-year initial term with five nondiscretionary 10-year renewals and limited ability for the Secretary to adjust rental and royalty terms at renewal; prospecting permits keep their original terms. Certain reissued leases and permits are made not subject to judicial review, and the Secretaries may permit limited use of adjacent surface lands for mining activities. The statute defines which Secretary applies (Interior or Agriculture for National Forest lands) and invokes NEPA for required reviews.
Introduced February 5, 2025 by Peter Stauber · Last progress February 5, 2025