The proposed bill aims to establish a new article in the Code of West Virginia, titled the "Strategic and Critical Resources Act," which focuses on the regulation and management of essential minerals and materials vital for national security, energy reliability, and economic stability. The bill outlines legislative findings that highlight the vulnerability of these resources to supply disruptions and foreign dependence. It includes definitions for terms such as "extraction," "strategic and critical resource facility," and "foreign adversary," and emphasizes the need for uniform statewide regulation while reserving regulatory authority for state and federal governments.

Additionally, the bill introduces provisions for state preemption of local regulations concerning the extraction and management of strategic and critical resources, thereby limiting local governments' ability to impose restrictions. It establishes foreign ownership limitations, prohibiting entities controlled by foreign adversaries from acquiring land for resource extraction, and restricts commercial agreements with entities on federal prohibited lists. The bill also clarifies that it does not affect existing federal or state laws related to environmental protection and public health, and it grants rulemaking authority to the relevant department to implement the article's provisions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15A-14-1, 15A-14-2, 15A-14-3, 15A-14-4, 15A-14-5, 15A-14-6, 15A-14-7