House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman plans to jump-start stalled mineral development projects and mandate fossil fuel leasing as part of a sweeping budget reconciliation package Republicans are trying to advance this year.
Westerman (R-Ark.), in an extensive interview with reporters Wednesday, said the committee has a list of potential items that Congress could help approve as Republicans led by President-elect Donald Trump seek to rapidly scale up energy and resource production.
Among those targets are the stalled access road in the Ambler mining district in Alaska, the Twin Metals project in Minnesota and the Resolution Copper mine in Arizona.
“There are a lot of very specific things that we could look at, possibly for reconciliation, that we know can have a budget impact as well,” Westerman said.
