When it comes to large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, permitting can sometimes feel like a game of Whack-a-Mole, where efforts to conclude the process are continually thwarted by issues that crop up (and sometimes re-emerge a and again), which include everything from environmental reviews and the whims of different federal agencies to legal challenges and public (and political) opposition. But if the difficulties of building a new pipeline, transmission line or solar farm seem immense, they pale in comparison to those that developers of mining projects may face. In today’s RBN blog, we look at why mining projects take so long to develop, the unique challenges of the permitting process, and some ways to improve it.
As we explained in Part 1 of this series, enabling large-scale infrastructure projects can be a complicated and lengthy process that is often easier said than done. The permitting process can drag on for years, such as with the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), the driving force behind today’s permitting challenges, and prevent some from becoming a reality. As an example of how long the process can take, we looked Part 2 on the TransWest Express Transmission Project, which will move 3,000 megawatts (MW) of Wyoming wind-generated electricity to utilities in the most densely populated regions of the desert Southwest. Although it’s a simple idea, the project didn’t receive final federal approval until April, 18 years after it was first proposed, and serves as a good example of how long the process can take. authorization New transmission lines are vital to the development of wind and solar power generation, which increasingly face local permitting issues as they grow in scale and move closer to populated areas, an issue which we discussed in Part 3.
If the challenges of building new infrastructure seem significant, mining developments may be another story. There are various permits, approvals and consultations required in any mining project, which can vary by type of activity and location, and developers must work with any number of federal, state and local agencies, as well as authorities tribal in some cases. In addition, mining projects have also faced political headwinds in recent years. Simply put, almost every obstacle an energy-related project faces is one that a mining development might have to clear at some point in the process.
