July 12, 2012          

Contact: Josh Britton
Phone: (202) 225-5037
E-mail: Josh.Britton@mail.house.gov

Rokita Votes to Streamline Mining Permit Review Process

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita (IN-4) today issued a statement regarding his vote in support of the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, H.R. 4402, legislation that is in line with the successful Red Tape Rollback program.

“I will continue to take action to support job growth through legislation and regulatory reform, including my Red Tape Rollback program.  The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act is very much in that mold.  This bill reduces mining costs and accurately classifies mining as infrastructure, while striking an appropriate balance between common sense government and environmental protection,” Rokita said.

            The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act classifies a domestic strategic and critical minerals mine as an "infrastructure project" in agreement with a Presidential Order titled “Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure Projects,” issued March 22, 2012.  It also caps permit review period for mining projects at 30 months, a vast improvement to the current average of 7 years.

            “Any legislation that streamlines the regulatory burdens facing US companies should be supported.  If I could identify one single problem that is harming our attempts to recover the economy it would be the overload of federal regulation and delay, particularly in the energy sector,” said Nat Noland of the Indiana Coal Council.

            Representative Rokita, along with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, founded the Red Tape Rollback program in early 2011 to help identify and reform costly federal regulations that hinder job growth.  Additional information and the first annual Red Tape Rollback Report is available at rokita.house.gov/Redtape.

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