Transcript Highlights:

• We are seeing some movement on the minerals auction side, and those mineral bonus monies that come in
• we're if not the largest mineral owner in the state.
• Why aren't we marketing our minerals?
• We're always looking at our current land sale auction process.
• Our mineral group, I come from the surface property management, so I consider our mineral group the leasing

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It's in process. the business council. It's in process.
• Uh so through the minerals concerns.
• <00:26:30.720> and try to work through that process and try to work through that process and
• I've heard no minerals committee.
• And minerals.

Keywords: 916, all

Bills: SB2097, SB2317, SB2319, SB2177, SB2190, SB2424, SB2524, SB2627, SB3084, SB895, SB896, SB3102, SB3157, SB3215, SB2050, SB2090, SB2211, SB2572, SB2096, SB2025, SB2127, SB2046, SB2262, SB2354, SB2387, SB2487, SB2955, SB3234, SB2851, SB2573, SB2391, SB3282, SB3055, SB2189, SB2194, SB3152, SB2635, SB888, SB2203, SCR1, SCR2, SCR3, SCR4, SCR5, SCR6, SCR7, SCR8, SCR9, SCR10, SCR11, SCR12, SCR13, SCR14, SCR15, SCR16, SCR17, SCR18, SCR19, SCR20, SCR21, SCR22, SR3, SR5, SR6, SR7, SR8, SR9, SR10, SR11, SR12, SR13, SR14, SR15, SR16, SR17, SR18, SR19, SB2010, SB3118, SB3276

Keywords: sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, food system resilience, grant program, Hawaii agriculture, agriculture, insurance, small producers, state support, biosecurity, farm coverage, public-private partnerships, agricultural policy, grant funding, food security, climate resiliency, housing development, zoning exemption, government assistance, affordable housing

Bills: SB2097, SB2317, SB2319, SB2177, SB2190, SB2424, SB2524, SB2627, SB3084, SB895, SB896, SB3102, SB3157, SB3215, SB2050, SB2090, SB2211, SB2572, SB2096, SB2025, SB2127, SB2046, SB2262, SB2354, SB2387, SB2487, SB2955, SB3234, SB2851, SB2573, SB2391, SB3282, SB3055, SB2189, SB2194, SB3152, SB2635, SB888, SB2203, SCR1, SCR2, SCR3, SCR4, SCR5, SCR6, SCR7, SCR8, SCR9, SCR10, SCR11, SCR12, SCR13, SCR14, SCR15, SCR16, SCR17, SCR18, SCR19, SCR20, SCR21, SCR22, SR3, SR5, SR6, SR7, SR8, SR9, SR10, SR11, SR12, SR13, SR14, SR15, SR16, SR17, SR18, SR19, SB2010, SB3118, SB3276

Keywords: sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation, food system resilience, grant program, Hawaii agriculture, agriculture, insurance, small producers, state support, biosecurity, farm coverage, public-private partnerships, agricultural policy, grant funding, food security, climate resiliency, housing development, zoning exemption, government assistance, affordable housing

Transcript Highlights:

• The claims process for the Joint Subcommittee on Claims is a process for people to file claims against
• the state that we don't have the normal tort process for.
• Unfortunately, there is no standalone bill that made it through the Senate process.
• See, I want to stand and fight for these miners on the floor today.
• These miners who lost their jobs don't have a job to go back to.

Transcript Highlights:

• mineral resources. mineral resources.
• Hardrock minerals such as gold and silver were not included in the covered minerals.
• phosphate, sodium, and other minerals. phosphate, sodium, and other minerals.
• . minerals. minerals.
• process? process? Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. >> Senator >> Senator >> Senator questions.

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We just use the state's process.
• > makes the state's process that that just makes the state's process that that just makes sense
• He said they are not exchanging their mineral rights; mineral rights were never on the table.
• 12:20.920> on<00:12:21.120> the rights mineral rights were never on the rights mineral
• The minerals may take time, and after that there may have to be another bill to transfer the minerals

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up HF 1425, which would prohibit the sale of state-owned school trust lands in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to the federal government and instead require a land trade. Representative Skraba argued the federal wilderness law requires an exchange, not a sale, and said the state should trade Boundary Waters school trust lands for federal lands elsewhere, citing potential benefits for logging, mining, and school trust revenue. He said the current proposed sale price was too low and moved to lay the bill over for possible inclusion in a future bill. Later, he withdrew a DE1 amendment and instead moved to re-refer the bill to the Education Finance Committee, but that motion failed. Testimony was largely opposed to the bill. Aaron Vandal of the Office of School Trust Lands said the exchange option was no longer viable, that the lands have produced no revenue for education for decades, and that selling them is the trust’s last opportunity to generate returns for schoolchildren. Bob Meyer of the DNR supported Vandal’s position and said the agency could not negotiate mineral rights in the way suggested. Aon Clems of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy and Amanda Hefner of Save the Boundary Waters both opposed HF 1425, though they emphasized different reasons: Clems argued a sale best fulfills the state’s fiduciary duty to maximize long-term returns for education, while Hefner said a sale would harm public education funding, align with the trust’s original purpose, and help consolidate federal ownership in the wilderness. Members then questioned the valuation and the practical differences between a sale and an exchange. Representative Jacob challenged the low per-acre price and asked about the federal government’s set-aside amount, while Representative Fischer asked how the appraisal was determined. DNR lands and minerals director Joe Henderson explained the valuation came from an independent appraiser, was based on the wilderness restrictions and lack of development potential, and was from a 2020 appraisal that is now being updated. Representative Schultz supported the sale approach and said the state should not transfer the land at such a low price. The committee did not advance the bill to the Education Finance Committee.

Transcript Highlights:

• demonstrated that experienced persons observing and providing on-the-job counseling to individual miners
• For instance, somebody, a miner, may get trained up to be an underground miner, or they may get trained
• And it's free; it doesn't cost anything to the miners. be an underground minor or they may get be an
• process for someone to become<00:09:28.920> a<00:09:29.079> my become a my become a my
• We want to make sure that the miners are safe.

Keywords: 00:00 Call to Order and Roll Call 00:30 Energy and Environment Cabinet 18:56 Adjournment, 958, all

Summary: The Tourism and Energy committee received a presentation from Gordon Sloan, Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources, and Deputy Commissioner David Fields on the Division of Mine Safety. They outlined the division’s structure, saying it has four branch offices in Madisonville, Harlan, Hazard, and Pikeville, with 36 inspectors total, plus administrative staff and several headquarters specialists. They also explained that four additional inspectors are on sick leave or workers’ compensation and will not be backfilled, and confirmed that inspectors work from offices rather than from home. The presentation focused on mine safety duties and staffing needs. Sloan said underground licensed mines must receive six inspections annually, including mine safety analyses, an electrical inspection, roof inspections, and regular inspections of airways, returns, belts, and miner safety equipment. He also described the division’s mine rescue responsibilities, including providing rescue coverage where operators do not have their own teams, maintaining teams within an hour’s drive of mines, and supporting training and certification. The division also conducts 17 training courses and about 8,000 to 9,000 trainings per year. Members were given updated mine and employment figures. Sloan reported 126 licensed mines in 2024 across the branch areas, with 61 active all year and others idle or later abandoned. He said Kentucky had 4,683 miners in 2024, with average employment of 4,509, and noted that the state had gone 34 months without a mining fatality since March 2022. He also said the division provides rescue services for 16 underground rock quarries, three highway tunnels, and three underground military training sites. In response to questions, Sloan said the division does not plan to refill the four vacant inspector positions because staffing is adequate statewide, and he said he would provide additional historical mine data later. The committee took no formal action and adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• One is coal is currently being processed. We're losing some of these rare earths.
• Current mineral law has not contemplated this type of extractive activity.
• You don't get those when you do in all other minerals.
• There's many projects across the country that are working on critical minerals.
• Everything from leaching in the Appalachians to mines just mining critical minerals.

Bills: SB2339

Keywords: wildfire mitigation, utility liability, strict liability, electric utility, public service commission, PSC, rural electric cooperative, municipal utility, transmission provider, vegetation management, power lines, reclosers, electrical safety, wildfire prevention, grid reliability, public safety, first responders, ANSI A300, National Electrical Safety Code, community outreach

Summary: The Energy and Natural Resources Committee continued work on House Bill 1459, which concerns rare earth and critical mineral recovery from North Dakota lignite coal. Testimony from UND researcher Dan Ludo and industry representative David Straely focused on the urgency of developing the process quickly, the technical differences between extracting minerals from coal versus ash, and the potential value of elements such as terbium, dysprosium, gallium, germanium, and synthetic graphite. Straely argued the bill is constitutional, limited to minerals within the coal seam, and needed to avoid years of quiet title litigation and provide certainty for development and compensation to royalty owners. Committee members raised questions about landowner rights, compensation levels, possible amendments from the Department of Trust Lands, and whether the bill should be modified to address constitutional concerns or sunset provisions. No final action was taken on HB 1459; the chair said parties could work on language until Monday before the committee revisits it. The committee then returned to House Bill 1579, a high-load study bill with a possible energy infrastructure investment amendment. Jody Smith of the Retirement and Investment Office presented updated language adding guardrails for in-state infrastructure investing, including requiring approved projects to be underwritten and managed by a qualified investment manager or financial institution and to follow the Legacy Fund investment policy. Members discussed whether the amendment had been shared with the House sponsor and noted that the related bill 1330 was still pending, so HB 1579 was being held for the time being. Finally, the committee took up House Bill 1566, which had an amendment from the Agriculture Commissioner’s office. The committee adopted the amendment 7-0, then passed a due-pass motion on the amended bill and referred it to Appropriations, also by a 7-0 vote. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal impact, including an estimated $580,000 for two FTEs over two years, and clarified that the study component remains in the bill. Senator Gerhardt was assigned to carry the measure.

Transcript Highlights:

• it as an opportunity for the minerals it as an opportunity for the minerals committee<00:12:44.800
• And that process has been in operate.
• <00:22:15.919> uh<00:22:16.240> more through the process uh more through the process
• When when companies in this process.
• There's online ordering. processing uh plant operators processing uh plant operators became<01:02:48.799

Bills: HB0116, HB0056

Keywords: water rights, beneficial use, industrial production, hydrogen, applications, public welfare, carbon capture, energy standards, public utilities, environmental regulation, state law, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I I don't recall, but maybe Minerals.
• Wyoming Minerals has heard this over and over again.
• processing, manufacturing base load.
• rare earth and critical mineral rare earth and critical mineral processing,<00:31:04.760> manufacturing
• <00:31:05.480> base<00:31:05.800> load processing, manufacturing base load processing

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• science-based process. science-based process.
• integrity of their individual processes integrity of their individual processes processes.<03:46
• <03:47:57.720> Political critical minerals. Political critical minerals.
• developing its critical minerals list. developing its critical minerals list.
• process is not completed in a few weeks. process is not completed in a few weeks.

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• , As a part of the recycling process, As a part of the recycling process, Gopher<00:04:38.400>
• <00:36:39.880> Task pages of the Critical Minerals Task pages of the Critical Minerals Task
• process process in<01:06:13.160> getting<01:06:13.480> either<01:06:13.760> we<
• . process. process.
• this process. this process.

Bills: HF4211, HF3426, HF4819, HF3466, HF3793, HF3339

Keywords: air pollution, lead emissions, continuous emissions monitoring system, CEMS, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MPCA, environmental monitoring, emission compliance, air quality, public health, industrial pollution, permitted facility, residential exposure, toxic metals, emission limits, pollution control, stack monitoring, real-time emissions monitoring, natural resources, environment

Transcript Highlights:

• process to potentially develop minerals process to potentially develop minerals in<02:27:47.520>
• in the Superior National Forest and allows a transparent process to develop the minerals in the Duluth
• in the Superior National Forest and allows a transparent process to develop the minerals in the Duluth
• in the Superior National Forest and allows a transparent process to develop the minerals in the Duluth
• in the Superior National Forest and allows a transparent process to develop the minerals in the Duluth

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The claims process for the joint subcommittee on claims is a process for people to file claims against
• > the<00:01:15.280> joint claims process uh for the joint claims process uh for the joint
• <00:01:16.799> for subcommittee on claims is a process for subcommittee on claims is a process
• So uh what we normal tort process for.
• <00:24:00.880> and this evening to protect our miners and this evening to protect our miners

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Resolution 65, recognizing West Virginia as a global hub for critical mineral processing and encouraging
• , and innovation in extracting and processing the minerals that power modern economies.
• extraction, processing, and advanced materials.
• He is the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for the Federal Republic of Somalia.
• He is the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources for the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Keywords: 994, senate, all

Summary: The Senate first handled procedural business, including suspending Rule 54 to allow guests on the floor, returning to the sixth order, and later recessing briefly to receive a visiting delegation from Somalia. A senator introduced the Somali delegation, identifying senior officials including the Deputy Prime Minister, ministers for petroleum/mineral resources and commerce/industry, parliamentary leadership, and ambassadors. The remarks emphasized the delegation’s visit as part of a broader discussion about private-sector cooperation and international engagement. The chamber then adopted Senate Resolution 65, which recognizes West Virginia as a global hub for critical mineral processing and encourages lawful private-sector dialogue and commercial engagement between West Virginia businesses and rare earth/critical mineral institutions abroad, beginning with institutions in Somalia. The sponsor described the resolution as nonbinding and framed it as an opening for conversation about mineral extraction, processing, advanced materials, and supply-chain security. The resolution was adopted by voice vote. After returning to business, the Senate received Finance Committee reports and advanced several House bills on first reading: HB 4004 creating the Recharge West Virginia program, HB 4006 creating the West Virginia Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act, HB 2009 creating the Portable Benefit Account Act, HB 5412 the Future Ready Education Act, HB 5453 modifying the school aid funding formula, and HB 5510 removing a two-acre rural-location requirement for private wedding venues. Members also made remarks, including one about community support following the death of Riley Wingfield, noting that students at Buckhannon-Upshur High School and Tucker County High School wore orange and black in solidarity. The Senate then adjourned until the next day at 10 a.m., with a Rules Committee meeting announced for 9:45 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• And I'll tell you, there's some very exciting technology in food processing.
• I think they're being processed. Oh, they're being processed in Judiciary. In Judiciary.
• So the general rate case process, which is the process... True cost of service.
• So the general rate case process, which is the process that utilities go through with the PUC in order
• These are processes that are already happening as part of the general rate case process.

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• can point to in the purchasing process can point to in the purchasing process um<00:11:23.440>
• Clerk votes Representative Miner, yes.
• Clerk votes Representative Miner. Yes.
• Representative Miner. Representative Miner. Yes. Yes. Yes.
• Representative Miner. Yes. Clerk votes. Representative Miner. Yes. Clerk votes.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• >> Representative<00:04:54.080> Miner, >> Representative Miner, >> Representative
• Miner, >> yes.
• Miner, >> yes.
• >> Representative<00:12:52.480> Miner. >> Representative Miner.
• >> Representative Miner, >> Representative Miner, >> yes. >> yes.

Keywords: 1189, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• to the United States the mineral to the United States the mineral interest<00:02:32.840> in
• We are not exchanging our mineral rights; mineral rights were never on the table.
• We are not exchanging our mineral rights; mineral rights were never on the table.
• 12:50.440> on<00:12:50.600> the rights mineral rights were never on the rights mineral
• The minerals may take time. After that, there may have to be another bill to transfer the minerals.

Keywords: 1183, house