Title 30Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73

§1602 Congressional declaration of policies

Title 30 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - MATERIALS AND MINERALS POLICY, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT › § 1602

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The President must lead federal agencies, through the White House, to make sure the United States has a steady, enough supply of materials needed for national security, the economy, and industry. Actions must balance resource use, energy, a healthy environment, conservation, and social needs. To do this, the government will find and plan for critical material needs and make them available; coordinate and review federal programs and research; build forecasting and analysis to avoid shortages and price swings; support research, international cooperation, and private industry; speed and simplify permitting while following environmental laws; improve education and job training; encourage efficient use, recycling, and substitutes; and set up backup plans when U.S. sources are not available.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §1602

Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

It is the continuing policy of the United States to promote an adequate and stable supply of materials necessary to maintain national security, economic well-being and industrial production with appropriate attention to a long-term balance between resource production, energy use, a healthy environment, natural resources conservation, and social needs. Implementation of this policy requires that the President shall, through the Executive Office of the President, coordinate the responsible departments and agencies to, among other measures—
(1)identify materials needs and assist in the pursuit of measures that would assure the availability of materials critical to commerce, the economy, and national security;
(2)establish a mechanism for the coordination and evaluation of Federal materials programs, including those involving research and development so as to complement related efforts by the private sector as well as other domestic and international agencies and organizations;
(3)establish an analytical and forecasting capability for identifying critical mineral demand, supply, and other factors to allow informed actions to be taken to avoid supply shortages, mitigate price volatility, and prepare for demand growth and other market shifts;
(4)promote a vigorous, comprehensive, and coordinated program of materials research and development consistent with the policies and priorities set forth in the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (42 U.S.C. 6601 et seq.);
(5)promote cooperative research and development programs with other nations for the equitable and frugal use of materials and energy;
(6)promote and encourage private enterprise in the development of economically sound and stable domestic materials industries;
(7)facilitate the availability, development, and environmentally responsible production of domestic resources to meet national material or critical mineral needs;
(8)avoid duplication of effort, prevent unnecessary paperwork, and minimize delays in the administration of applicable laws (including regulations) and the issuance of permits and authorizations necessary to explore for, develop, and produce critical minerals and to construct critical mineral manufacturing facilities in accordance with applicable environmental and land management laws;
(9)strengthen—
(A)educational and research capabilities at not lower than the secondary school level; and
(B)workforce training for exploration and development of critical minerals and critical mineral manufacturing;
(10)bolster international cooperation through technology transfer, information sharing, and other means;
(11)promote the efficient production, use, and recycling of critical minerals;
(12)develop alternatives to critical minerals; and
(13)establish contingencies for the production of, or access to, critical minerals for which viable sources do not exist within the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976, referred to in par. (4), is Pub. L. 94–282, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 459, which is classified principally to chapter 79 (§ 6601 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 6601 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

2020—Pub. L. 116–260, § 7002(m)(2), in introductory provisions, substituted “It” for “The Congress declares that it” and “Implementation” for “The Congress further declares that implementation”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 116–260, § 7002(b)(1)(A), added par. (3) and struck out former par. (3) which read as follows: “establish a long-range assessment capability concerning materials demands, supply and needs, and provide for the policies and programs necessary to meet those needs;”. Pars. (7) to (13). Pub. L. 116–260, § 7002(b)(1)(B), (C), added pars. (7) to (13) and struck out former par. (7) which read as follows: “encourage Federal agencies to facilitate availability and development of domestic resources to meet critical materials needs.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 1602

Title 30Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73