For this edition, E&MJ’s European Editor Nia Kajastie has produced a very informative Nordic Report. In a way, it reveals a microcosm of mining activity that’s taking place in many parts of the world. More countries are evaluating supply chains for critical minerals only to realize that they need to move quickly or risk being left behind.
The editorial team here at E&MJ are cognizant of the fact that about one-half of E&MJ’s 19,000 readers are based outside the USA. And looking from the outside in, many readers probably stare in bewilderment at some of the news emanating from the USA. We do too. The electorate, which is extremely polarized, will cast its vote soon in the mid-term election. The outcome of which could steer the country either way in radically divergent paths. That’s why it was refreshing to see politicians pass mining-related legislation in a bipartisan manner.
At the end of September, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 in the U.S. Senate. The bill is intended to reform the federal environmental review and permitting process.
The 417-page bill aims to streamline the lengthy federal permitting process to speed project buildout. It also calls for fair treatment of all energy resources when issuing new permits for projects now and under future legislation, regardless of the resource, meaning that the left can’t cancel fossil fuels and the right can’t cancel renewable energy projects on a whim.
Lengthy environmental reviews, overlapping regulatory requirements and litigation have delayed mining projects, and created uncertainty for companies considering major investments. By establishing clearer timelines and streamlining parts of the permitting process, the bill could make it easier for companies to develop domestic mineral resources.
The bill would keep important safeguards in place, while creating clear timelines and rules for permitting projects, including a two-year deadline for Environmental Impact Statement reviews and a one-year deadline for Environmental Assessment reviews, with consequences for agencies that miss those deadlines.
The legislation will set a 150-day deadline for legal challenges under the Clean Water Act (CWA), Endangered Species Act (ESA), NEPA and NHPA, along with several more limitations aimed at tightening the process. The bill is now expected to be a top priority in the U.S. Senate when they return. If passed, the bill will still have to pass through the House and eventually on to the president’s desk. Let’s hope they get this done. Enjoy this edition of E&MJ.
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