§1602 — Title 30 Mineral Lands and Mining | U.S. Code

Summary

President must work through the Executive Office to get federal agencies to make sure the United States has enough materials and critical minerals for national security, the economy, and industry. The work must also balance long-term resource use, energy, a healthy environment, conservation, and social needs. It lists 13 actions to do that, including: find and plan for material needs and supplies; coordinate and evaluate federal materials programs and research; build forecasting and analysis for demand and supply; support materials research consistent with the 1976 National Science and Technology Policy Act; cooperate with other countries on research and technology; encourage private industry; speed and responsibly develop domestic resources; reduce duplicate paperwork and delays for permits while following environmental and land laws; strengthen school and workforce training; promote international information sharing; boost efficient use and recycling; develop substitutes for critical minerals; and set up backup plans when U.S. sources do not exist.

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.

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.”

§1602 Congressional Declaration of Policies