Permits can sometimes look like a whack-a-mole game when it comes to large energy and infrastructure projects. There, efforts to complete the process are constantly frustrated (and sometimes recurring) by emerging problems. It covers everything from environmental reviews and the vagaries of various federal agencies to legal challenges and public (and political) opposition. But while the challenges in building a new pipeline, transmission line, or solar power plant may seem enormous, they are insignificant compared to what a mining project developer may face. Thing. In his RBN blog today, he explores why mining projects take so long to develop, the unique challenges of the permitting process, and some ways to improve it.

As outlined in part 1 As this series repeats, permitting large infrastructure projects is easier said than done and can be a complex and time-consuming process. In some cases, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP), a prime example of today’s permitting problem, the permitting process can drag on for years, and some can be impractical. As an example of how long the process takes, I’ve looked at: part 2 The project will transmit 3,000 megawatts (MW) of Wyoming’s wind power to power companies in a densely populated desert southwest. Although a simple idea, the project, 18 years after it was first proposed, did not receive final approval from the federal government until April, and is a prime example of how long the permitting process can take. It’s becoming New transmission lines are very important for the development of wind and solar power, but they are increasingly facing more tolerable problems at the local level as the scale of generation increases and they approach densely populated areas. This topic was discussed in the following articles: part 3.

If the challenges in building new infrastructure seem significant, mining development can be an entirely different story. Any mining project requires various permits, approvals, and consultations, depending on the type and location of the activity, but developers work with all federal, state, and local agencies, and in some cases, tribal authorities. need to do it. In addition, mining projects have faced political headwinds in recent years. (More on that in a bit.) In a nutshell, nearly every hurdle facing an energy-related project may need to be cleared by a mining developer at some point in the process.