NGO letter mining in permitting side deal

A coalition of NGOs argues that a leaked draft "side deal" to truncate environmental reviews for mining projects would prioritize extractive industry interests over community input and environmental protection. The authors contend that such a deal would undermine laws like NEPA and the ESA, disproportionately harm Indigenous communities, and ignore the fact that permitting delays are primarily caused by incomplete data from applicants rather than the review process itself. They advocate instead for the passage of the Environmental Justice for All and RESPECT Acts.

• The proposed "side deal" is characterized as a "wishlist for all extractive industries" that seeks to increase extraction while reducing community input, scrutiny of impacts, and accountability for harm.
• The deal would allow mining companies to influence federal decisions by requesting the elevation of their own preferred mine plans and preemptively limiting the time and scope of public reviews, including the use of "fast-track treatment" with shorter comment periods.
• The authors argue that the deal threatens the rights of Indigenous peoples and marginalized communities, specifically noting that hardrock mining is strongly correlated with violence against women and girls, particularly Indigenous women in rural areas near "man camps."
• Citing the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the document asserts that the primary cause of mine permitting delays is not the review process itself, but rather "untimely or incomplete information" provided by the permit applicants.
• The coalition advocates for the passage of the Environmental Justice for All Act (HR 2021) and the Requirements, Expectations, and Standard Procedures for Effective Consultation with Tribes (RESPECT) Act (HR 3587) as the appropriate way to address environmental justice and NEPA concerns.

APA

Earthjustice (2022). NGO letter mining in permitting side deal. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ngo_letter_mining_in_permitting_side_deal_1.pdf

Chicago

Earthjustice. NGO letter mining in permitting side deal. 2022. https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ngo_letter_mining_in_permitting_side_deal_1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Earthjustice |title=NGO letter mining in permitting side deal |date=12 September 2022 |url=https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ngo_letter_mining_in_permitting_side_deal_1.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{earthjustice2022ngo, author = {{Earthjustice}}, title = {{NGO letter mining in permitting side deal}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://earthjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/ngo_letter_mining_in_permitting_side_deal_1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }