Mining Schools Act of 2022
Bill: S.3915 | Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John (R-WY)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Technology Grants to Strengthen Domestic Mining Education Act of 2022 or the Mining Schools Act of 2022
This bill establishes a grant program for mining schools to recruit students and enhance educational programs, including those related to critical mineral and rare earth element exploration, extraction, and refining.

To require the Secretary of Energy to provide technology grants to 
     strengthen domestic mining education, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Grants to Strengthen 
Domestic Mining Education Act of 2022'' or the ``Mining Schools Act of 
2022''.

SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN DOMESTIC MINING EDUCATION.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Mining 
        Professional Development Advisory Board established by 
        subsection (d)(1).
            (2) Mining industry.--The term ``mining industry'' means 
        the mining industry of the United States, consisting of the 
        search for, and extraction, beneficiation, refining, smelting, 
        and processing of, naturally occurring metal and nonmetal 
        minerals from the earth.
            (3) Mining profession.--The term ``mining profession'' 
        means the body of jobs directly relevant to--
                    (A) the exploration, planning, execution, and 
                remediation of metal and nonmetal mining sites; and
                    (B) the extraction, including the separation, 
                refining, alloying, smelting, concentration, and 
                processing, of mineral ores.
            (4) Mining school.--The term ``mining school'' means--
                    (A) a mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral 
                engineering program accredited by the Accreditation 
                Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., that is 
                located at an institution of higher education (as 
                defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
                1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); and
                    (B) a geology or engineering program or department 
                that is located at a 4-year public institution of 
                higher education (as so defined) located in a State the 
                gross domestic product of which in 2020 was not less 
                than $2,000,000,000 in the combined categories of 
                ``Mining (except oil and gas)'' and ``Support 
                activities for mining'', according to the Bureau of 
                Economic Analysis.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.
    (b) Domestic Mining Education Strengthening Program.--The Secretary 
shall establish a program to strengthen domestic mining education under 
which the Secretary shall award competitive grants to mining schools 
for the purpose of recruiting and educating the next generation of 
mining engineers and other qualified professionals to meet the future 
energy and mineral needs of the United States.
    (c) Grants.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out the grant program 
        established under subsection (b), the Secretary shall award not 
        more than 10 grants each year to mining schools.
            (2) Selection requirements.--
                    (A) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable, 
                the Secretary shall select recipients for grants under 
                paragraph (1) to ensure geographic diversity among 
                grant recipients to ensure that region-specific 
                specialties are developed for region-specific geology.
                    (B) Timeline.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall award 
                        the first grants under paragraph (1) by not 
                        later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
                        of this Act.
                            (ii) Subsequent grants.--Each year 
                        following the first year in which grants are 
                        awarded pursuant to clause (i), the Secretary 
                        shall award subsequent grants by not later than 
                        1 year after the date on which the grants were 
                        awarded the previous year.
            (3) Recommendations of the board.--In selecting recipients 
        for grants under paragraph (1) and determining the amount of 
        each grant, the Secretary shall take into consideration the 
        recommendations of the Board under subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 
        subsection (d)(3).
            (4) Use of funds.--A mining school receiving a grant under 
        paragraph (1) shall use the grant funds--
                    (A) to recruit students to the mining school; and
                    (B) to enhance and support programs related to, as 
                applicable--
                            (i) mining, mineral extraction efficiency, 
                        and related processing technology;
                            (ii) emphasizing critical mineral and rare 
                        earth element exploration, extraction, and 
                        refining;
                            (iii) reclamation technology and practices 
                        for active mining operations;
                            (iv) the development of reprocessing 
                        systems and technologies that facilitate 
                        reclamation that fosters the recovery of 
                        resources at abandoned mine sites;
                            (v) mineral extraction methods that reduce 
                        environmental and human impacts;
                            (vi) technologies to extract, refine, 
                        separate, melt, or produce minerals, including 
                        rare earth elements;
                            (vii) reducing dependence on foreign energy 
                        and mineral supplies through increased domestic 
                        critical mineral production;
                            (viii) enhancing the competitiveness of 
                        United States energy and mineral technology 
                        exports;
                            (ix) the extraction or processing of 
                        coinciding mineralization, including rare earth 
                        elements, within coal, coal processing 
                        byproduct, overburden, or coal residue;
                            (x) enhancing technologies and practices 
                        relating to mitigation of acid mine drainage, 
                        reforestation, and revegetation in the 
                        reclamation of land and water resources 
                        adversely affected by mining;
                            (xi) enhancing exploration and 
                        characterization of new or novel deposits, 
                        including rare earth elements and critical 
                        minerals within phosphate rocks, uranium-
                        bearing deposits, and other nontraditional 
                        sources;
                            (xii) meeting challenges of extreme mining 
                        conditions, such as deeper deposits or offshore 
                        or cold region mining; and
                            (xiii) mineral economics, including 
                        analysis of supply chains, future mineral 
                        needs, and unconventional mining resources.
    (d) Mining Professional Development Advisory Board.--
            (1) In general.--There is established an advisory board, to 
        be known as the ``Mining Professional Development Advisory 
        Board''.
            (2) Composition.--The Board shall be composed of 6 members, 
        to be appointed by the Secretary not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, of whom--
                    (A) 3 shall be individuals who are actively working 
                in the mining profession and for the mining industry; 
                and
                    (B) 3 shall have experience in academia 
                implementing and operating professional skills training 
                and education programs in the mining sector.
            (3) Duties.--The Board shall--
                    (A) evaluate grant applications received under 
                subsection (c) and make recommendations to the 
                Secretary for selection of grant recipients under that 
                subsection;
                    (B) propose the amount of the grant for each 
                applicant recommended to be selected under subparagraph 
                (A); and
                    (C) perform oversight to ensure that grant funds 
                awarded under subsection (c) are used for the purposes 
                described in paragraph (4) of that subsection.
            (4) Term.--A member of the Board shall serve for a term of 
        4 years.
            (5) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board--
                    (A) shall not affect the powers of the Board; and
                    (B) shall be filled in the same manner as the 
                original appointment was made by not later than 180 
                days after the date on which the vacancy occurs.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
        carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
        2023 through 2030.
            (2) Requirement.--At the end of each fiscal year, any 
        amounts made available under paragraph (1) for that fiscal year 
        that are not awarded as grants under subsection (c) shall be 
        returned to the Treasury.
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