I am introducing legislation to subsidize and fund geological testing and analysis for the presence of critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs) across Pennsylvania.

Critical minerals and REEs are essential components in modern technologies, including electric vehicles, wind turbines, semiconductors, medical devices, smartphones, military systems, and advanced manufacturing. The U.S. Department of the Interior currently lists 50 critical minerals deemed vital to the nation's economic and national security.

The U.S. remains heavily dependent on foreign imports, particularly China, for many of these minerals—especially REEs—creating vulnerabilities in domestic manufacturing, energy independence, and defense readiness. As demand for clean energy technologies grows, so does the strategic importance of locating and responsibly developing domestic sources of these materials.

Pennsylvania’s diverse geological formations and the presence of coal waste, especially in the Appalachian coal regions, contains untapped reserves of critical minerals and REEs. However, a lack of geological testing data inhibits our ability to assess these resources.

The goal is to incentivize testing and sampling efforts to identify potential sources of critical minerals and REEs throughout the Commonwealth.

This legislation promotes Pennsylvania’s leadership in the future of clean energy and high-tech manufacturing while supporting environmental stewardship and economic revitalization-especially in historically mined areas. As the federal government increases its focus on domestic mineral security, Pennsylvania should be proactive in preparing our land and workforce to meet that demand.

I hope that you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation.