Congressional Hearing on Minerals on Iron Range

Republican lawmakers advocate for permitting reform

The mineral deposits in Northeastern Minnesota brought congressional lawmakers to the area Tuesday.

Representative Pete Stauber brought members of the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources to Mountain Iron for a hearing.

Stauber said it was a chance for members to hear directly from the community. Congressman Rob Wittman of the state of Virginia said the entire country had an interest in mining the minerals in the region.

“The mineral resources here in northern Minnesota are a national treasure, a national asset. They will be central to the nation’s security, both from a strategic standpoint and from an economic standpoint,” Wittman said. “We must, as Pete said, use all of the efforts necessary to make sure that we can access these resources, that we can use them, because they are critical for the future of our nation,” said Wittman.

All members attending Tuesday were Republicans. They said the debt ceiling bill passed by the U.S. House also includes mining permitting reform. Congressman Larry Bucshon represents the coal mining region of Indiana. He says streamlining permitting is also important for non-mineral projects.

“We’re not only talking about this type [northern Minnesota] of mining. You know, permitting to get green energy projects done, too,” said Bucshon.  “People, some of our colleagues that favor those projects, have the same struggles that we do getting through the permitting process. So, I think that permitting reform is a bipartisan goal,” Bucshon said.

Congressman Stauber said Tuesday was part of his commitment to bring congressional hearings to communities.