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 the ability of counties and municipalities to impose restrictions. It also establishes foreign ownership limitations, prohibiting entities controlled by foreign adversaries from acquiring land for resource extraction unless authorized by state law. The bill ensures that federal laws regarding environmental protection and public health remain unaffected and grants rulemaking authority to the relevant department to implement its 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