The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials recently advanced legislation expanding access to flexible air permitting.
H.R. 1131 would codify an existing U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program that increases the production of critical energy resources. It also would allow critical energy resource facilities to participate in the flexible air permitting program.
Participation would allow the companies to plan for anticipated operational changes, including dramatic shifts in the supply of minerals and increased market demand for products.
U.S. Rep. John Joyce (R-PA) introduced the bill and said it would help jumpstart domestic energy production.
“America has the potential to lead the world in resource development and to bring back manufacturing jobs in new sectors of our economy,” Joyce said during the subcommittee’s markup of the bill. “To do this, we need to get private capital off of the sidelines. H.R. 1131 is a step in the right direction so new projects can receive the financing that they need.”
China controls nearly 90 percent of processing for rare earth elements, Joyce said, and substantial portions of the mineral supply chain.
“We have the resources beneath our feet, but we need to spur investment in unleashing that potential,” he said.