Nevada’s lithium mine project can proceed after review ordered by court, says Biden administration.

Biden Administration Approves Nevada Lithium Mine Project Despite Legal Challenges

The Biden administration has given the green light for the construction of Nevada’s massive lithium mine project, despite legal challenges from tribal leaders and conservation groups. The Interior Department completed a court-ordered review that approved the project, stating that almost all of the mine sites located in Nevada contain lithium ready for extraction.

Clarifying Mineral Rights for the 21st Century

The Interior Department also announced that it is taking steps to clarify mineral rights under the 1872 law to reflect the “realities of the 21st century.” The 1872 General Mining Act, known as the “Mining Law,” provides citizens of the United States the opportunity to explore for, discover, and purchase certain valuable mineral deposits on federal lands that are open for mining location and patent (open to mineral entry).

Supporting Clean Energy and Mining Communities

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm says Biden’s “clean energy” agenda is intended to expedite a transition from fossil fuels to renewable forms of energy, as Lithium is a key element needed for renewable energy. “Deploying clean energy projects on America’s mine lands will unlock new opportunities for energy communities that have helped power our nation for generations, especially those in rural areas that have been the most affected by the energy transition,” Granholm said in a statement.

Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, mining communities across our nation can access an unprecedented level of new funding to ensure they can help lead our clean energy future.

Legal Challenges and Construction Approval

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously blocked a proposed copper mine in Arizona last year and is considering a related appeal filed by environmentalists and Native American tribes challenging the construction of the huge Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada near the Oregon line. U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Reno adopted the new standard in a ruling in February that found the U.S. Bureau of Land Management failed to comply with the law when it approved a Canadian company’s plan to open the Thacker Pass mine about 200 miles northeast of Reno. Du approved construction to begin at the mine while the agency provides additional proof the company has the mineral rights necessary to dump waste rock and tailings from the operation on adjacent lands.

Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said in a government statement, “As we work across the Biden-Harris administration to provide clarity for the permitting and exploration of energy resources in the United States, today’s Opinion will support the timely review of mining proposals on federal lands and is one step of many the Department of the Interior is taking to update guidance for mining companies to reflect the realities of the 21st century.”

• The Biden administration approves Nevada’s massive lithium mine project despite legal challenges.
• The Interior Department is taking steps to clarify mineral rights under the 1872 law to reflect the “realities of the 21st century.”
• U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm says Biden’s “clean energy” agenda is intended to expedite a transition from fossil fuels to renewable forms of energy.
• The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals previously blocked a proposed copper mine in Arizona last year and is considering a related appeal filed by environmentalists and Native American tribes challenging the construction of the huge Thacker Pass lithium mine in Nevada near the Oregon line.
• U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in Reno adopted the new standard in a ruling in February that found the U.S. Bureau of Land Management failed to comply with the law when it approved a Canadian company’s plan to open the Thacker Pass mine about 200 miles northeast of Reno.

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