July 05, 2026 to July 11, 2026

This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news concerning metals and non-metals miners, explorers and prospectors. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track the upstream and downstream forces affecting Mining? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Manufacturing and Oil & Gas. Also consider subscribing to our Mining - Ottawa edition covering critical GR news north of the border.

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• Senate Energy Subcommittee to Review Mining and Permitting Legislation, July 15: The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining will hold a hearing July 15 to consider a suite of bills on special management areas, decommissioning of offshore wells, geothermal permitting, coal leasing, and amendments to the Mineral Leasing Act and National Environmental Policy Act exemptions for certain activities.

Federal Government News

EPA Proposes Discretion for States on Public Participation in Mining Permitting Under NEPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published a proposed rule to revise the public participation requirements for New Source Review (NSR) air permitting programs, affecting State Implementation Plans (SIPs) for mining and mineral extraction operations. If finalized, the amendment would remove federal minimum standards for public review of minor NSR permitting, instead allowing state and local air agencies to determine their own requirements. The rule details the rationale, legal background, and implementation procedures, noting it will not alter requirements for permitting of major sources. The public may submit comments until August 21, 2026, and a virtual hearing is tentatively set for July 22, 2026, if requested.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

NRC Proposes Major Changes to NEPA Procedures for Uranium and Nuclear Projects

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a proposed rulemaking to substantially revise its implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) across its licensing and regulatory programs—encompassing uranium mining, nuclear fuel cycle, and related facility permitting. Key changes would limit NEPA reviews to effects directly within NRC authority, define new categorical exclusions, update public comment processes, and codify revised deadlines for document preparation in line with recent statutory amendments and court decisions. The NRC is accepting comments through August 21, 2026, and is issuing new draft guidance (NUREG-2270) for review procedures.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Announces Inaugural Permitting Innovators Expo to Showcase Technology Solutions

The White House Council on Environmental Quality announced technology solutions selected for the Permitting Innovators Expo to be held July 31, 2026, in the Washington, D.C. area. The Expo will spotlight tools for document analysis, workflow management, data integration, and task automation supporting federal environmental permitting. Selected technologies will also be featured in a new digital Solutions Catalog for distribution to federal agencies later in the year. Industry and agency attendees are invited to request participation through an online interest form.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

BLM to Maintain Civil Monetary Penalty Levels for Onshore Oil, Gas, and Coal Operations

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced that civil monetary penalties for onshore oil and gas operations and coal trespass will remain unchanged for 2026. The decision follows the Office of Management and Budget's cancellation of the inflation adjustment for the year due to unavailable CPI data. The current penalty levels remain as set in 2025, with specific amounts continuing for violations such as noncompliance, documentation failure, and unauthorized coal exploration. Entities subject to these penalties include mining and energy extraction firms operating on federal lands.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

CBP Accredits NMK Resources, Inc. as Laboratory and Gauger at Pasadena, TX and Thorofare, NJ

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has accredited and approved NMK Resources, Inc. facilities in Pasadena, Texas, and Thorofare, New Jersey, as commercial gaugers and laboratories for petroleum and related products. The facilities are authorized to perform specific American Petroleum Institute compliant gauging and laboratory analyses under the CBP Laboratory Methods and ASTM standards. The accreditations are effective from September 2024 (Pasadena) and August 2025 (Thorofare) for three-year terms.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

DOE/FERC Notice: Vinton Dome Storage Hub Files Application for New Natural Gas Storage and Compression Facility

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published a notice for Vinton Dome Storage Hub, LLC's application to construct a new natural gas storage facility in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. The project would include 44.5 billion cubic feet of working gas across five salt caverns, a 55,000 horsepower compressor station, and related pipeline interconnections. The project is subject to environmental review, and the intervention deadline for interested parties is July 21, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

FERC Initiates Scoping for Majorsville-Heard Storage Complex Abandonment Project

FERC launched the scoping process for Columbia Gas Transmission’s Majorsville-Heard Storage Complex Abandonment Project, affecting Marshall County (WV) and Greene/Washington Counties (PA). The project involves abandonment of three gas storage fields, wells, and compressor station infrastructure, with environmental comments due by July 30, 2026. The phased approach is expected to require up to ten years.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

ONRR Seeks Comment on Federal Oil and Gas Valuation Information Collection Renewal

The Office of Natural Resources Revenue issued a notice of proposed renewal for its information collection governing Federal oil and gas valuation, encompassing reporting, royalty compliance, and requests for regulatory relief. Comments are due by August 5, 2026, and the renewal covers an estimated 110 annual responses, with a total annual burden of 7,788 hours for industry respondents.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

Common Sense 250 Act of 2026

Bill 9600, the Common Sense 250 Act of 2026, was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. The bill’s substance or sponsor was not specified in the referral notice.

Sources: www.congress.gov

American Enrichment Deployment Act

Bill 9612, the American Enrichment Deployment Act, has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The legislation’s text and sponsor details were not provided in the last action.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act

Bill 9613, the Nuclear Advisory Committee Reform Act, was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The most recent action was receipt and referral; sponsor or broader context is pending.

Sources: www.congress.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Namibia secures China deals on infrastructure, mining and energy with state visit: Namibia and China entered new agreements across mining, energy, and infrastructure during an official state visit.
• Aluminium supply shock revives long-idled Western smelters: Aluminium production restarts in Western markets in response to tight global supply conditions.
• The Rise and Fall of the Fracking Phenomenon: An overview of how hydraulic fracturing shaped, then transformed, U.S. energy markets.
• Chevron offers rival drillers its chemical technology to boost shale oil output: Chevron is licensing proprietary chemical technology to competing shale drillers to enhance oil recovery.
• Rare earths startup ReElement no longer seeking $80 million Pentagon loan, administration sources say: ReElement, a rare earths company, has withdrawn its application for Department of Defense funding.
• From curiosity to cornerstone - how batteries went mainstream: Battery technologies have become central to global manufacturing and supply chains.

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