# Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2022: What It Actually Does

This bill would completely overhaul how mining for hardrock minerals happens on federal public lands in the United States. Hardrock minerals include metals like copper, gold, silver, and lithium—materials essential for making batteries, solar panels, and other clean energy technology. Right now, the U.S. uses a 150-year-old mining law that's remarkably permissive, allowing miners to stake claims on public land with minimal fees and environmental oversight. This bill would change that system dramatically by adding environmental protections, requiring permits, collecting royalties when minerals are extracted, and establishing a fund to clean up abandoned mines.

The bill creates a new permitting system where miners would need to get approval before they can explore or operate on federal lands. Before starting work, companies would have to prove they can handle environmental impacts and restore the land afterward. The bill also requires mining companies to pay royalties—a percentage of the value of minerals they extract—which currently don't exist under the old mining law. Additionally, miners would need to post financial assurance (basically a bond) to guarantee they'll clean up their operations when they're done. The bill specifically protects certain sensitive areas like national parks, wilderness areas, and lands sacred to Native American tribes from new mining activity. It also requires the government to consult with Native American tribes before approving any mining projects that could affect their lands or cultural sites.

Another major piece creates an "Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation Fund" to address the thousands of old mines scattered across the country that were abandoned without proper cleanup, leaving behind contaminated water, toxic waste, and scarred landscapes. This fund would be financed by fees collected from current mining operations. The bill also establishes annual maintenance fees that miners must pay to keep their claims active, replacing the current system where miners can hold claims for almost nothing. For small-scale miners, the bill includes special provisions allowing them to continue casual activities like hand-panning for gold without permits, though larger operations would face stricter requirements. Overall, this legislation represents a fundamental shift toward treating mining as something that must be carefully managed and paid for, rather than a free-for-all on public lands.

Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2022

Grijalva, Raúl M.

Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2022 This bill addresses mineral leasing, exploration, and development on federal land. For example, the bill <ul> <li>prohibits the issuance of a patent for certain mining or millsite claims;</li> <li>establishes a permitting and leasing system for hardrock mining;</li> <li>establishes a 12.5% royalty on new mining operations and an 8% royalty on existing operations, with an exemption for small miners;</li> <li>protects special places, such as wilderness study areas, roadless areas, and wild and scenic rivers, from hardrock mining activity;</li> <li>requires consultation prior to undertaking any mineral activities that may have a substantial direct impact on the lands or interests of Indian tribes;</li> <li>establishes an environmental standard for mining activities to ensure that mining activities prevent undue degradation of public lands and resources;</li> <li>prescribes requirements for the exploration permit process and for operations permits, including financial assurances; and</li> <li>authorizes the Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund to be used for responding to hazardous substance releases on abandoned hardrock mine land, including efforts to reclaim the land.</li> </ul>