MAJOR STATE POLICY AND REGULATORY ISSUES

The Arizona Mining Association works diligently on behalf of the state’s mining industry to educate lawmakers on policy issues that impact the industry. Click here to read about our accomplishments during the most recent legislative session: 2017 Legislative Wrap-Up

Your participation in the state legislative process is critical. The links below provide information on how you can get involved.

Request to Speak or Submit Comments in a Legislative Hearing – Note: You must first create an account.

Download the National Mining Association's free app called MiningMobile!

Built to help create a large grass roots base focusing on vital mining information at the tip of your fingers! Available in the iPhone app store and Google Play.

MAJOR STATE POLICY AND REGULATORY ISSUES

BLM Streamlining Planning & NEPA

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) solicited public input about ways to streamline the Bureau’s planning and NEPA processes.
This effort to improve the planning process came after President Trump’s March 27 approval of House Joint Resolution 44, which nullified the BLM’s Planning 2.0 rule.
The AMA along with ARPA, AMIGOS and SABC submitted these suggestions.

CERCLA Financial Assurance

As required by a D.C. Circuit Court decision, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued on December 1 a pre-publication notice of a proposed rulemaking pursuant to
section 108(b) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for the hard rock mining industry. These new bonding requirements would be duplicative with existing state financial assurance
requirements and present an immense new financial obligation for mining companies based on predicted future clean-up costs. The Arizona Mining Association submitted comments on July 11 addressing the strength of Arizona’s financial assurance program and
requesting that EPA withdraw the proposed rule. Click here to read AMA Comments.

CERCLA UPDATE 7/31/17-Forty-two Members of Congress – including Arizona’s Representatives Paul Gosar, Trent Franks,
Andy Biggs, and David Schweikert – sent this letter on July 31st to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt requesting that the proposed rule be withdrawn.

CERCLA UPDATE 8/4/17 – Senators Flake and McCain sent this letter to EPA Administrator Pruitt recommending that the rule be withdrawn due
to the adequacy of financial assurance programs that currently exist at state and federal levels.
Additionally, Congressman Biggs featured CERCLA 180(b) in his August 4, 2017 Freedom Fridays newsletter:
https://biggs.house.gov/freedom-fridays
InfoGraphic on Financial Assurance

MSHA Workplace Exams

The Arizona Mining Association submitted letter requesting a time extension for the implementation of the Mining Safety and Health Administration’s (MSHA) Rule on Examinations of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines.

Ozone Standards Implementation

The Arizona Mining Association along with over 150 major industry groups, chambers of commerce, and state and local governments have written in support of H.R. 806 – The Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017. This legislation provides a common-sense approach for implementing national ambient air quality standards, recognizes ongoing state efforts to improve air quality through a reasonable implementation schedule for the 2015 ozone standards, streamlines the air permitting process for businesses to expand operations and create jobs, and includes other reforms that bring more regulatory certainty to federal air quality standards. The U.S. House passed the bill on July 18 by a vote of 229-199. The AMA will continue working with the coalition as this bill advances to Senate.

National Monuments Review

The Arizona Mining Association (AMA), Arizona Rock Products Association (ARPA), Arizona Mining Industry Gets Our Support (AMIGOS), and the Southern Arizona Business Coalition (SABC) jointly submitted comments for the four national monuments located in the state of Arizona that meet the criteria for review as established in Executive Order 13792 issued on April 26, 2017. These are the Sonoran Desert, Vermillion Cliffs, Ironwood Forest and Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monuments. Click here to read our recommendations to Interior Secretary Zinke.

Federal Government Links