November 15, 2024

Legislation Directly Targets Supply Chain Constraints of Critical Minerals That Hinder Electrification Expansion  

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) applauds the House passage of the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024 (H.R. 8446) introduced by Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ). This legislation adds critical materials, as defined by the Department of Energy, to the statutory definition of critical minerals as defined by the U.S. Geological Survey. The bill will ensure consistency between the two lists to help expedite the permitting process for various critical minerals and bolster domestic supply chains that are critical to accelerating electrification.

“The passage of the Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2024 brings us one step closer to removing our dependence on China for the raw materials that are essential to the electrical industry,” said NEMA Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Spencer Pederson. “Critical minerals play a crucial role in everything from renewables to electric vehicles to energy storage that are helping us rapidly electrify and digitize. NEMA applauds the passage of this legislation that will create a reliable domestic supply of critical minerals through easing supply chain constraints and preventing bottlenecks in the permitting process. We urge the Senate to quickly follow the U.S. House of Representatives' lead and pass this legislation."

The legislation specifically ensures critical mineral projects, including copper mine projects, are eligible for the FAST-41 permitting process – a program that improves agency coordination and establishes two-year completion goals, to create a more efficient, predictable, and timely federal environmental review process for covered projects. Adding critical materials to the statutory definition of critical minerals will ensure parity between the two lists, streamline permitting, and cut through supply chain constraints of various critical minerals that are integral in energy generation, transmission, distribution and storage.