The National Mining Association is spearheading a lobbying campaign to revive and expand the long-dormant Bureau of Mines in an effort to streamline how the government regulates and supports domestic mining, reported Reuters. The American Exploration & Mining Association and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration are working alongside the NMA on the effort.
“Mining decisions right now are spread across multiple government agencies, and that makes transparency and accountability very difficult,” said NMA President and CEO Rich Nolan.
The campaign, which is set to launch this month, will contrast scattered U.S. mining oversight with Australia and other countries where senior mining-related agencies report directly to the heads of government, according to Reuters’ sources.
The Bureau of Mines was abolished in 1996 due to budget cuts. Supporters of its resurrection said that it will allow Washington to craft a unified critical minerals policy for permitting, research funding, and industry grants and loans that could help the country better compete globally. However, critics point out that the bureau would need to be elevated to a cabinet-level agency if the goal is to have it report directly to the president, which would need congressional approval. Source: Reuters