WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema released the following statement on President Biden’s decision to release oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve to lower gas prices and to utilize the Defense Production Act to boost the production of minerals critical for Arizona’s battery and renewable energy industries further lowering inflationary pressures:
“Arizonans want to get back to normal but are hurting from rising gas prices. Today’s announcements represent an important step forward in prioritizing an all-of-the-above energy approach by responsibly increasing American supply of oil and gas, helping lower the cost of energy for Arizonans now and in the future and ensure our energy independence. I encourage the Administration to continue to explore all options to keep lowering gas and energy costs for Arizonans.”
Today’s announcement builds on historic responsible investments in Arizona mining, clean energy technologies, and critical minerals in the Sinema-led Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Law.
Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds a federal study of the use of abandoned mine lands and mine waste for critical minerals extraction as part of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. The bipartisan legislation also invests billions of dollars into new grants, facilities, and programs — many of which Arizona is expected to compete for – including:
- $3 billion for Battery Material Processing Grants
- $3 billion for Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grants
- $320 million into the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
- $167 million to establish a USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility
- $140 million to establish a Rare Earth Elements Demonstration Facility
- $200 million for an Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Recycling and Second-Life Applications Program
- $750 million for an Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program
- $100 million for Critical Minerals Mining and Recycling Research
Click HERE to learn more about how the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts natural resources and energy production