LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Tax Reform
IMA-NA staff is continuing to meet with key members of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees on the percentage depletion tax deduction, and educating them as to why it should be retained as part of the tax code in any tax reform effort.
IMA-NA has also taken on a leadership role in the industry coalition. The coalition had 3 of its members; the National Stripper Well Association, National Mining Association and IMA-NA, participate in a briefing for the Western Caucus. We were able to present before roughly 50 House and Senate offices, House and Senate leadership staff, and Trump Administration officials.
IMA is also helping to lead an effort to recruit support for a letter from Members of Congress to the Ways and Means Committee. We’ve approached Congressmen Amodei and Barletta about leading this effort. We are hoping to get as many signatures as we can throughout the rest of July.
We are also considering engagement with the Administration - meeting with the appropriate staff on the President's National Economic Council and/or the U.S. Department of Treasury within the broader coalition to show the breadth of the impact.
Energy package
The Energy and Natural Resources Act of 2017 (S. 1460) was officially reintroduced late last week in the Senate. This includes the critical minerals language that IMA and others have been supporting in recent years. In its role as chair of the Minerals Science and Information Coalition, IMA-NA worked with Senator Murkowskiduring the last session specifically on the language surrounding investment in the USGS’s Minerals Resource Program and its forecasting abilities. We will continue to be supportive of the package in its most recent iteration. It is expected that this bill will go straight to the floor, likely later in July.
Soda Ash Legislation
The American Soda Ash Competitiveness Act (H.R. 1399) passed the House Natural Resources Committee with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 27-9. The legislation has 27 cosponsors in the House and 22 cosponsors in the Senate. We will now look for a legislative vehicle to get the bill passed by the full House.
Perkins Reauthorization
The House passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 2353) with strong bipartisan support by a voice vote. The bill is an updated reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, which provides federal support to career education programs. The proposed legislation builds on a similar bill that passed the House last year but was not considered by the U.S. Senate.IMA-NA participates in a broad industry coalition supporting the reauthorization of the Perkins bill and has signed onto several letters urging congressional action over the last several years. The Senate will now need to take up the bill in order for it to move closer to reauthorization.
Minerals Science & Information Coalition
IMA-NA and the Minerals Science & Information Coalition sent letters to Congressional Appropriators asking for continued funding for the USGS library and supporting the budget request for the Minerals and Energy Resources Programs housed at USGS. We were pleased to note that the Administration maintained the budget request for FY2017 for the minerals science programs, despite slashing a significant portion of the overall budget for USGS.
2nd IMA-NA FLY-IN
We are also going to have our 2nd fly-in on percentage depletion tax deduction coming up on July 18 and 19. Direct IMA-NA member involvement in the percentage depletion tax deduction issue remains critical. You are the best advocates in telling “your story” and why your business and/or the minerals industry need to maintain the inclusion of this tax deduction in the tax code. We welcome your direct involvement in Washington and will work with you to visit your Hill offices in your state/congressional district this summer based on your availability as well.
PLANT TOURS
We have also placed more information on our website on how to best go about conducting plant tours to help you in that process. Please consider inviting your Representatives to tour your plants in August!
REGULATORY UPDATE
Waters of the United States Repeal
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has initiated the repeal of the Obama Administration’s 2015 water jurisdiction regulation. The proposal would “recodify” the prior regulation text defining waters of the United States.
The next step in the process will be a new rulemaking effort later this year.
IMA-NA has been working within an industry coalition for several years on this issue. We will continue to be involved in this process to have our voices heard as the EPA pursues a new rule.
CERCLA 108(b)
IMA-NA will be filing comments in July on EPA’s notice of proposed rulemaking to require financial assurances from the hardrock mining industry for potential Superfund liability arising from their operations. The proposed rule targets metals mining, but the definition of hardrock mining is ambiguous and could be interpreted to include industrial minerals mining. IMA-NA’s comments focus on these latter issues. IMA-NA also will be filing comments as part of a broader industry coalition to cover all aspects of the proposed rule.
Nanomaterial Reporting Rule Guidance
IMA-NA will be filing comments on draft guidance EPA recently issued on its final rule on nanomaterial manufacturing and processing. Some industrial minerals may meet the definition of nanomaterial (particles, including aggregates and agglomerates, in the size range of 1 – 100 nm in at least one dimension, which is manufactured or processed to exhibit unique and novel properties because of its size). If the nanomaterial comprises less than 1% by weight it is not reportable. IMA-NA’s comments will focus on the applicability of the definition to naturally occurring industrial minerals.
2017 Inventory Update
IMA-NA will be filing comments with Environment and Climate Change Canada on the 2017 Inventory Update, which solicits comments on about 1,500 chemical substances pursuant to Canada’s Chemicals Management Program. IMA-NA’s comments will address zinc borate. IMA-NA also filed a Stakeholder Declaration in the proceeding.
MINERALS DAY 2017
IMA-NA is partnering with IMA-Europe to cross promote European Minerals Day, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and North American Minerals Day. IMA-NA hosted 2 webinars of introduction to the program and is currently looking for members to host events. We would like to tie in any events throughout the year to Minerals Day and see hosting elected officials out at member facilities, during August, as an excellent opportunity to maximize our tax reform message and forge stronger relationships with elected officials. Please contact Ariel if you have any interest in getting involved.
IMA-NA ACTIVITIES
Both the IMA-NA and NISA Boards of Directors held meetings in June. The principal focus of the meetings was acceptance of the 2016 audited financial statements. IMA-NA and NISA will base the federal income tax filings on the audited financial statements.
Separately, the NISA Board authorized a dues rebate credit to member companies in good standing. The dues rebate credit will apply to quarterly dues invoices in CY 2017 and Q1 2018. The rebates are intended to maintain financial reserves at an appropriate level. Staff will be working to revise the current dues schedule to maintain financial reserves at an appropriate level and obviate the need for dues rebate credits in the future.
IMA-NA will announce the opening of registration for the 2017 IMA-NA Annual Meeting in the next few days. The Annual Meeting will be held September 25-28 at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel. We look forward to welcoming you to Chicago.
NISA recently completed a Value Report on the association and will be distributing it to NISA member companies. In a related matter, it is revamping the NISA Website. The Website is expected to go “live” in July.
Finally, Dr. Darrell Smith, IMA-NA’s Executive Vice President, has accepted a position as President of the National Waste and Recycling Association. His last day at IMA-NA is July 14. Darrell will be missed, but we congratulate him and wish him well in his new position.