Mining added to Fast-41 permitting
FAST-41, including the extraction of coal, oil shale, oil, gas, and uranium. The new non-energy mining sector will allow the Permitting Council to add mining proj- ects for non-energy, saleable and critical minerals. FAST-41 does not supersede, amend, or modify any Federal statute, such as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), nor does it create a presumption that a covered project will be approved or favorably reviewed by any agency. FAST-41 is a voluntary process; project sponsors must opt-in and meet the requirements for inclusion. Under FAST-41, these projects can now include the development, expansion or reuse of a previously developed and extensively modified or contaminated property owned, leased, abandoned or managed by state, local or tribal governments, non-governmental organizations, or the private sector, including those within an Opportunity Zone, those receiving finan- cial assistance from a Qualified Opportunity Fund or those subject to federal, state, local or tribal cleanup programs or other similar revitalization efforts.
Federal authorities have added mining to the list of industries able to take advantage of Fast-41 expedit- ed permitting. The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) voted in Jan- uary to add non-energy mining as a new covered infrastructure sector to increase access to a domes- tic source of minerals that are critical to the nation’s economy and security. “Today’s action by the Permitting Council furthers the President’s commitment to demystify and standard- ize an overly-complicated federal decision-making process. Citizens shouldn’t have to hire a consul- tant or have a PhD in science to understand how a project may affect their communities. This step will provide unprecedented transparency, predictability and accountability to the public, all while ensuring governors, mayors, local communities, tribes and the private sector always have a reliable Federal partner in Washington D.C.,” said Alexander H. Herrgott, Executive Director, Permitting Council. In 2015, with overwhelmingly bipartisan agreement, Congress included energy related mining under
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February 2020 I The Alaska Miner I www.alaskaminers.org
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