House Bill Would Allow More Irresponsible Conduct by Mining Industry

NRDC: “Legislation is Worst Kind of Industry Hand-Out’’

WASHINGTON (July 12, 2012) – House Republicans have passed a bill that would grant the mining industry even greater leeway to engage in irresponsible environmental practices—and to hide them from public view.

Below is a statement from Scott Slesinger, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, on the misnamed “National Strategic and Critical Minerals Product Act” (HR 4402):

“The legislation amounts to the worst kind of industry hand-out. It would give away valuable public lands to an industry that already enjoys royalty-free mining—at taxpayer expense. It also gives mining companies free access to public lands, putting their rights above those of all other users, including recreational users. This measure is just another sad attempt by the House to extract our natural resources as quickly as possible without consideration of future generations. The bill should not see the light of day in the Senate.”