H.R. 9617: Coordinating and Harnessing America’s Recovery of Minerals Act

This bill would direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create and carry out a National Critical Mineral Recovery Strategy. The goal is to better coordinate federal efforts to recover critical minerals from discarded materials, such as waste, leftover industrial materials, and other discarded items that may still contain useful minerals.

What the EPA would have to do

Under the bill, the EPA Administrator would work with other relevant federal agencies to:

• Identify existing federal programs and legal authorities related to recovering critical minerals from discarded materials.
• Find opportunities to increase recovery of these minerals.
• Identify legal, technological, and other barriers that make recovery harder.
• Look specifically at recovery from mining waste, residuals, and metal processing waste.
• Identify discarded materials that could contain critical minerals.
• Identify which critical minerals may be present in those materials.
• Assess how recovered minerals could strengthen domestic supply chains.
• Look for ways to do this while reducing risks to human health and the environment.

Reporting requirements

The EPA would have to submit a report to Congress and make it public within 2 years of the law taking effect, and then every 2 years after that. The report would include:

• The strategy itself.
• Actions taken by EPA and other federal agencies to support mineral recovery.
• Any planned or ongoing actions under the strategy.
• Any recommendations for additional legislation.

What counts as a critical mineral

The bill uses the definition of “critical mineral” already set in the Energy Act of 2020.

Relevant Companies

• None found