Joint minerals committee collects interim topic requests on energy, industrial siting and economic development

The Joint Minerals Committee met to solicit and prioritize interim topic requests, hearing a steady stream of testimony from industry groups, state agencies and local economic developers about topics the committee could study this summer. Chair opened the meeting, a clerk called roll and members confirmed a quorum.

Travis Ditai of the Mining Association urged the committee to consider a follow‑up review of the Energy Dominance Fund bill and “look at the barriers” — regulatory, bonding and permitting — that industry says slow project development, and suggested a task‑force approach similar to a prior regulatory reduction effort. Rusty Bell, CEO of Energy Capital Economic Development in Gillette, told members that an industrial‑siting exemption for mineral activities on coal‑mine property could help Powder River Basin projects such as rare‑earth or uranium‑conversion proposals, while noting any exemption should account for local socioeconomic concerns.

Representat…