Defense Supply Chain Bill Fast-Tracks Mining Permits, Lets Project Sponsors Skip Public Dashboard

The Permit Reform In Mining for Energy and Defense Act, or PRIMED Act, aims to turbocharge how the federal government approves new mining and processing projects crucial for national defense. This specific section of the bill focuses on actions taken by the Secretary of Defense under the Defense Production Act (DPA)—think supporting feasibility studies, modernizing existing facilities, or enabling new byproduct production to secure materials needed for defense supply chains.

The Fast Lane for Critical Minerals

What this bill does is simple: it mandates that these specific DPA-related actions must be treated as “covered projects” under the FAST Act, which is the federal government’s mechanism for coordinating and speeding up permitting for major infrastructure projects. Crucially, this means these projects must be listed on the federal Permitting Dashboard, a public website designed to track the status and timeline of federal reviews. The idea is to bring transparency and accountability to the permitting process, ensuring government agencies move quickly on projects deemed vital for national security and domestic energy.

For a domestic mining company trying to modernize their facility to extract a critical mineral used in jet engines, this is a massive win. It means their project gets priority treatment and a clear, coordinated timeline from the feds, potentially shaving years off the time it takes to get shovels in the ground. This helps strengthen the U.S. supply chain, which is the intended benefit here.

The Transparency Opt-Out

Now, here’s the part that needs attention: The bill includes a major loophole. A project sponsor—the company or entity seeking the permit—can request that the action not be treated as a covered project or listed on the Permitting Dashboard. If they make this request, the action is exempt from the public tracking requirement. Let’s be clear: this allows the entire process of fast-tracking a mining or processing project to happen outside of the primary public-facing transparency tool.

If you’re a local resident, an environmental watchdog group, or just a citizen who relies on the Permitting Dashboard to see what major industrial projects are being approved in your region, this provision cuts off your visibility. For the companies, this is convenient—it removes a layer of public scrutiny and potential opposition that can slow down a project. But for the general public, it means that a federally prioritized project, potentially impacting local land, water, and air quality, can move forward without the standard public transparency mechanisms designed to keep permitting agencies accountable. It essentially trades public oversight for speed, at the request of the industry benefiting from the speed.