Wyden bill would expand domestic production of ‘critical minerals’

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) -- Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced legislation Tuesday that would support the processing, manufacturing, and production of critical minerals that he said would reduce imports of those materials, ease reliance on foreign oil and gas and support domestic manufacturing.

“Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine has provided a stark reminder of the urgent need to reduce our reliance on foreign oil and gas imports from countries ruled by tyrants like Vladimir Putin,” Wyden said.

“It’s past time the United States became a competitive producer of critical minerals and weans itself off of both foreign oil and gas imports and the critical minerals that are essential to building the next generation of clean energy products like batteries. This legislation would fuel red, white and blue clean energy while creating good-paying jobs on American soil.”

Critical minerals play a key role in the manufacturing of technologies like solar and wind power, electric car batteries and smartphones. Expanding domestic manufacturing of these technologies is vital as the U.S. makes the transition to energy independence and a clean energy future. The United States imports the majority of its critical minerals used in domestic manufacturing from Russia and China, which are some of the world’s leading producers of critical minerals.

The Critical Mineral Environmental Processing and Mining Clean Up Program would create a $50 million grant program under the Department of the Interior to fund and support the expansion and modernization of domestic critical mineral production and processing.

Wyden also recently renewed his call for the passage of his Clean Energy for America Act as part of a broader effort to increase domestic energy production and secure a clean energy future.

A one-pager of the bill is here.

Text of the bill is here.