The U.S. Department of Energy issued a notice of intent for a $32 million investment into a new program supporting front-end engineering design studies to produce rare earth elements and other critical minerals and materials from domestic coal-based resources.

The program will be jointly managed by the DOE's Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains and Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, according to an Oct. 12 news release.

“The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is delivering an important opportunity for American leadership to produce critical minerals and materials — the very components needed to develop clean energy technologies,” DOE Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm said in the release. “By producing rare earth elements and critical minerals here at home, we'll create good-paying jobs while enhancing national security and securing the supply chains we need to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

This new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-backed program will help explore clean energy technology which will create good-paying jobs and communities which have historically produced fossil energy fuels and power. Rare earth elments and other minerals are vital to manufacturing clean energy technologies, according to the release.

"#JUSTANNOUNCED @ENERGY issued a Notice of Intent to fund a $32M Bipartisan Infrastructure Law program supporting #FEED studies to produce rare earth elements and other critical minerals & materials from domestic coal-based resources," DOE Fossil Energy and Carbon Management said in a post on Twitter.