National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011

Bill: 112-hr-2011
Sponsor: Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5]
Introduced: 2011-05-26 in the House
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Agricultural practices and innovations
Congressional oversight
Forests, forestry, trees
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Land use and conservation
Licensing and registrations
Manufacturing
Metals
Mining
Solid waste and recycling
Strategic materials and reserves

Summary:
action_date: 2011-05-26
text: 
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011 - Declares that it is the policy of the United States to promote an adequate and stable supply of minerals to maintain the nation's economic well-being, security, and manufacturing, industrial, energy, and technological capabilities.
 
Directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Geological Survey, to report to Congress: (1) an assessment of the non-fossil-fuel mineral potential of lands under BLM and U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction; (2) an identification of all such lands that have been withdrawn, segregated, or otherwise restricted from mineral exploration and development; (3) a detailed description of the time required to process mineral applications, operating plans, leases, licenses, permits, and other use authorizations for mineral-related activities on lands; (4) an itemized list of all use authorizations for which applications are pending; (5) an assessment of the impact of litigation on the processing or issuing of permits; and (6) an assessment of the federal workforce with educational degrees and expertise in economic geology, geochemistry, mining, industrial minerals, metallurgy, metallurgical engineering, and mining engineering.
 
Requires progress reports to Congress on: (1) efforts to increase access to domestic supplies of minerals, and facilitation of their production; and (2) implementation of recommendations in National Research Council reports on &quot;Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy&quot; and on &quot;Managing Minerals for a Twenty-First Century Military.&quot;
 

 

action_date: 2011-10-14
text: 
National Strategic and Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2011 - (Sec. 3) Declares that it is the continuing policy of the United States to promote an adequate and stable supply of minerals to maintain the nation's economic well-being, security, and manufacturing, industrial, energy, agricultural, and technological capabilities.
 
(Sec. 4) Directs the Secretary of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Geological Survey (Survey), to report to Congress: (1) an inventory of the nonfossil-fuel mineral potential of lands under BLM and U.S. Forest Service jurisdiction; (2) an identification of all such lands that have been withdrawn, segregated, or otherwise restricted from mineral exploration and development; (3) a detailed description of the time required to process mineral applications, operating plans, leases, licenses, permits, and other use authorizations for mineral-related activities on lands; (4) an itemized list of all use authorizations for which applications are pending; (5) an assessment of the impact of litigation on the processing or issuing of permits; (6) an assessment of the federal workforce with educational degrees and expertise in economic geology, geochemistry, mining, industrial minerals, metallurgy, metallurgical engineering, and mining engineering; and (7) an inventory of rare earth element potential on federal lands, and impediments to or restrictions on the exploration or development of those rare earth elements, with recommendations to lift the impediments or restrictions while maintaining environmental safeguards.
 
Requires progress reports to Congress on: (1) efforts to increase access to domestic supplies of minerals, and facilitation of their production; (2) implementation of recommendations in National Research Council reports on &quot;Minerals, Critical Minerals, and the U.S. Economy&quot; and on &quot;Managing Minerals for a Twenty-First Century Military&quot;; (3) the Department of Energy Critical Minerals Strategy I and II; and (4) a specified Department of Defense assessment and plan for critical rare earth elements in defense applications.
 
(Sec. 5) Directs the Survey, for the first National Mineral Assessment conducted after enactment of this Act, to include mineral assessments for mineral commodities important to the nation's energy infrastructure, manufacturing and agricultural industries, and to the national defense. Urges priority be given to minerals that are critical based on the impact of a potential supply restriction and the likelihood of a supply restriction.
 
(Sec. 6) Directs the Survey to expand the current Global Mineral Assessment to include mineral assessments for rare earth elements and other minerals that are critical based on the impact of a potential supply restriction and the likelihood of a supply restriction.
 
Requires such assessments to include an analysis, developed with participation by the National Minerals Information Center, of the rare earth elements or other critical minerals supply chain and associated processes and products, including mining, processing, recycling, separation, metal production, alloy production, and manufacturing of products sold to end users.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2011-10-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 164.
action_date: 2011-10-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-248.
action_date: 2011-10-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-248.
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2011-07-20
text: Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged.
action_date: 2011-06-03
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2011-06-02
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
action_date: 2011-05-26
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-05-26
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-05-26
text: Introduced in House