On the recordOctober 22, 2015
I want to quickly respond to some of the points made by my friends on the other side of the aisle. I do recognize the importance of those metals in auto production. It is important to me. But this bill isn't going to impact them. To be frank, I think this bill is a solution in search of a problem. NEPA is often a scapegoat for permitting delays, but this does not hold up when you closely examine the facts. In fact, since 2008, the approval time for hardrock mines has decreased. Last year the average time it took to approve a plan of operations for a hardrock mine was 17 months--17 months--not 10 years. I want jobs as much as my colleagues do on the other side of the aisle, but I want to protect people. Project complexity, local opposition, and the lack of funding are almost always the culprits for a project being delayed, but everybody wants to blame NEPA unfairly. Hardrock mines could pose significant threats to public health, water, and the environment. We must ensure that every mining application is properly reviewed under NEPA, as my amendment proposes. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
