Technology Grants to Strengthen Domestic Mining Education Act of 2023 or the Mining Schools Act of 2023
This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a grant program to support domestic mining education. Under the program, DOE must award up to 10 grants each year to mining schools for recruiting and educating mining engineers and other qualified professionals to meet future energy and mineral needs. In addition, the bill repeals the Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institute Act of 1984.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2685 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2685
To require the Secretary of Energy to provide technology grants to
strengthen domestic mining education, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 18, 2023
Mr. Owens (for himself, Mr. Costa, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Bost, Mr. Stauber,
Mr. Rosendale, and Mr. Wittman) introduced the following bill; which
was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Energy to provide technology grants to
strengthen domestic mining education, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Technology Grants to Strengthen
Domestic Mining Education Act of 2023'' or the ``Mining Schools Act of
2023''.
SEC. 2. TECHNOLOGY GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN DOMESTIC MINING EDUCATION.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Board.--The term ``Board'' means the Mining
Professional Development Advisory Board established by
subsection (d)(1).
(2) Mining industry.--The term ``mining industry'' means
the mining industry of the United States, consisting of the
search for, and extraction, beneficiation, refining, smelting,
and processing of, naturally occurring metal and nonmetal
minerals from the earth.
(3) Mining profession.--The term ``mining profession''
means the body of jobs directly relevant to--
(A) the exploration, planning, execution, and
remediation of metal and nonmetal mining sites; and
(B) the extraction, including the separation,
refining, alloying, smelting, concentration, and
processing, of mineral ores.
(4) Mining school.--The term ``mining school'' means--
(A) a mining, metallurgical, geological, or mineral
engineering program accredited by the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., that is
located at an institution of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)); or
(B) a geology or engineering program or department
that is located at a 4-year public institution of
higher education (as so defined) located in a State the
gross domestic product of which in 2021 was not less
than $2,000,000,000 in the combined categories of
``Mining (except oil and gas)'' and ``Support
activities for mining'', according to the Bureau of
Economic Analysis.
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
(b) Domestic Mining Education Strengthening Program.--The
Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior (acting
through the Director of the United States Geological Survey), shall--
(1) establish a grant program to strengthen domestic mining
education; and
(2) under the program established in paragraph (1), award
competitive grants to mining schools for the purpose of
recruiting and educating the next generation of mining
engineers and other qualified professionals to meet the future
energy and mineral needs of the United States.
(c) Grants.--
(1) In general.--In carrying out the grant program
established under subsection (b)(1), the Secretary shall award
not more than 10 grants each year to mining schools.
(2) Selection requirements.--
(A) In general.--To the maximum extent practicable,
the Secretary shall select recipients for grants under
paragraph (1) to ensure geographic diversity among
grant recipients to ensure that region-specific
specialties are developed for region-specific geology.
(B) Timeline.--The Secretary shall award the grants
under paragraph (1) by not later than the later of--
(i) the date that is 180 days after the
start of the applicable fiscal year; and
(ii) the date that is 180 days after the
date on which the Act making full-year
appropriations for the Department of Energy for
the applicable fiscal year is enacted.
(3) Recommendations of the board.--
(A) In general.--In selecting recipients for grants
under paragraph (1) and determining the amount of each
grant, the Secretary, to the maximum extent
practicable, shall take into consideration the
recommendations of the Board under subparagraphs (A)
and (B) of subsection (d)(3).
(B) Selection statement.--In selecting recipients
for grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
(i) in response to a recommendation from
the Board, submit to the Board a statement that
describes--
(I) whether the Secretary accepts
or rejects, in whole or in part, the
recommendation of the Board; and
(II) the justification and
rationale for any rejection, in whole
or in part, of the recommendation of
the Board; and
(ii) not later than 15 days after awarding
a grant for which the Board submitted a
recommendation, publish the statement submitted
under clause (i) on the Department of Energy
website.
(4) Use of funds.--A mining school receiving a grant under
paragraph (1) shall use the grant funds--
(A) to recruit students to the mining school; and
(B) to enhance and support programs related to, as
applicable--
(i) mining, mineral extraction efficiency,
and related processing technology;
(ii) emphasizing critical mineral and rare
earth element exploration, extraction, and
refining;
(iii) reclamation technology and practices
for active mining operations;
(iv) the development of reprocessing
systems and technologies that facilitate
reclamation that fosters the recovery of
resources at abandoned mine sites;
(v) mineral extraction methods that reduce
environmental and human impacts;
(vi) technologies to extract, refine,
separate, melt, or produce minerals, including
rare earth elements;
(vii) reducing dependence on foreign energy
and mineral supplies through increased domestic
critical mineral production;
(viii) enhancing the competitiveness of
United States energy and mineral technology
exports;
(ix) the extraction or processing of
coinciding mineralization, including rare earth
elements, within coal, coal processing
byproduct, overburden, or coal residue;
(x) enhancing technologies and practices
relating to mitigation of acid mine drainage,
reforestation, and revegetation in the
reclamation of land and water resources
adversely affected by mining;
(xi) enhancing exploration and
characterization of new or novel deposits,
including rare earth elements and critical
minerals within phosphate rocks, uranium-
bearing deposits, and other nontraditional
sources;
(xii) meeting challenges of extreme mining
conditions, such as deeper deposits or offshore
or cold region mining; and
(xiii) mineral economics, including
analysis of supply chains, future mineral
needs, and unconventional mining resources.
(d) Mining Professional Development Advisory Board.--
(1) In general.--There is established an advisory board, to
be known as the ``Mining Professional Development Advisory
Board''.
(2) Composition.--The Board shall be composed of 6 members,
to be appointed by the Secretary not later than 180 days after
the date of enactment of this Act, of whom--
(A) 3 shall be individuals who are actively working
in the mining profession and for the mining industry;
and
(B) 3 shall have experience in academia
implementing and operating professional skills training
and education programs in the mining sector.
(3) Duties.--The Board shall--
(A) evaluate grant applications received under
subsection (c) and make recommendations to the
Secretary for selection of grant recipients under that
subsection;
(B) propose the amount of the grant for each
applicant recommended to be selected under subparagraph
(A); and
(C) perform oversight to ensure that grant funds
awarded under subsection (c) are used for the purposes
described in paragraph (4) of that subsection.
(4) Term.--A member of the Board shall serve for a term of
4 years.
(5) Vacancies.--A vacancy on the Board--
(A) shall not affect the powers of the Board; and
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment was made by not later than 180
days after the date on which the vacancy occurs.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2024 through 2031.
SEC. 3. REPEAL OF THE MINING AND MINERAL RESOURCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
ACT OF 1984.
Public Law 98-409 (30 U.S.C. 1221 et seq.; commonly known as the
``Mining and Mineral Resources Research Institute Act of 1984'') is
repealed.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Subcommittee Hearings Held
Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources Discharged
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-864.
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 118-864.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 705.
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