The Biden administration has pushed for reforms in public lands, renewable energy policy and oil and gas drilling — and more changes could be coming soon.
The administration wants to expedite renewable energy projects on public lands, such as a proposed solar facility in western Maricopa County recently announced by the Bureau of Land Management.
Aaron Weiss, of the Center for Western Priorities, says a working group on mining reform could soon come out with its recommendations, which could mark another important policy reform for the administration.
"I would assume that any working group looking at the state of hard rock mining in America will come to the conclusion that we have to start by reforming the 1872 mining law," Weiss said.
He says the search for minerals used in electric vehicles, such as a proposed manganese mine in southern Arizona, could usher in new mining conflicts.
