Today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 1366, known as the Mining Regulatory Clarity Act of 2025. The bill was introduced by Representative Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) and aims to clarify regulations for mining projects on federal lands. The legislation establishes a new category of mill sites, allowing operators to use federal land for activities that support mining operations.
Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) commented on the passage: “The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act restores regulatory certainty that was lost due to the misguided 2022 Rosemont decision. The bill reaffirms that mining support activities are an essential part of responsible mineral development. It encourages domestic mineral production at a moment when America’s economy and national security depend on mining more than ever. I would like to thank Representative Amodei for his leadership on this important legislation.”
Representative Mark Amodei (R-Nev.) added: “Strengthening our domestic mineral supply chain isn’t optional, it’s demanded to ensure we don’t fall further behind China. Western states are sitting on a wealth of resources and a critical opportunity to break our dangerous reliance on foreign adversaries while powering our own economy. The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act restores decades of established precedent, repairs a permitting process undermined by the Rosemont decision, and gives domestic mining operations the certainty they need to compete aggressively and win. I’m glad to see the House pass this bill once again with bipartisan support, and I urge the Senate to act swiftly to get it signed into law.”
The context for this legislation comes from a 2022 decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that revoked approval for the Rosemont Copper Mine in Arizona. This ruling limited the Forest Service's authority over supporting activities needed for mining on federal land and disrupted more than forty years of regulatory precedent.
H.R. 1366 is designed not just for one project but seeks to restore consistency in regulations across all mine operations nationwide. In addition to clarifying rules about mill sites, it creates an “Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund.” This fund will use claim maintenance fees to help inventory, assess, and clean up abandoned hardrock mine lands as part of an ongoing reclamation program established under previous infrastructure legislation.
