CHARM Act

Subtitle B of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6911 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new section:

The Administrator shall, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies that the Administrator determines to be relevant, develop and carry out a National Critical Mineral Recovery Strategy (in this section referred to as the Strategy) for the purpose of coordinating Federal efforts to recover critical minerals from discarded materials.

In developing the Strategy under paragraph (1), the Administrator, in consultation with the heads of other Federal agencies described in paragraph (1), shall—

(A) identify programs administered by, and authorities of, the Administrator that relate to the recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials;

(B) identify programs administered by, and authorities of, the other relevant Federal agencies that relate to the recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials;

(C) identify, and consider for inclusion in the Strategy, opportunities that expand the recovery of critical minerals, as well as that address legal, technological, and other barriers to recovering such critical minerals from discarded materials;

(D) identify, and consider for inclusion in the Strategy, opportunities to recover critical minerals from discarded materials that are mining waste or residuals or metal processing waste;

(E) identify discarded materials that are potential sources of critical minerals;

(F) identify potential critical minerals that may be in discarded materials;

(G) evaluate the role of recovered critical minerals, and the sources from which such critical minerals were recovered from discarded materials, in strengthening domestic supply chains of critical minerals; and

(H) identify opportunities to recover critical minerals from discarded materials in a manner that minimizes risk to human health and the environment.

Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, and every 2 years thereafter, the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate, and make publicly available, a report that contains the Strategy and a description of activities carried out pursuant to subsection (a).

The Administrator shall include in the report transmitted under paragraph (1) a description of—

(A) any actions taken by the Administrator to facilitate the recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials pursuant to the Strategy;

(B) any actions taken by another Federal agency, in coordination with the Administrator, to facilitate the recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials pursuant to the Strategy;

(C) any ongoing or planned actions by the Administrator to facilitate the recovery of critical minerals from discarded materials pursuant to the Strategy; and

(D) any recommendations for legislation to support the developing and carrying out of the Strategy.

In this section, the term critical mineral has the meaning given such term in section 7002(a)(3) of the Energy Act of 2020 (30 U.S.C. 1606(c)(3)).

The table of contents contained in section 1001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 2008 the following: