By Mike Tony, Charleston Gazette-Mail
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state House Energy and Manufacturing Committee has approved a pair of bills designed to encourage economic development from extraction of rare earth elements and critical minerals essential to technology products and national security.
House Bill 4003 would establish that any party that treats any mine drainage may derive “commercial benefit” from any elements or other byproducts of the treated drainage.
House Bill 4025 would provide a five-year exemption from severance tax starting July 1 for extracting rare earth elements and critical minerals.
The idea is to encourage treatment of acid mine drainage, addressing one of West Virginia’s environmental problems while clearing up what party can enjoy the profits of what is increasingly looking like a lucrative endeavor due to acid mine drainage’s high concentration of rare earth elements and critical materials…
