RESCUE Act of 2025

The RESCUE Act of 2025 amends the FAST Act to expand what counts as a “critical project” for faster federal permitting and processing. Specifically, it adds to the list of eligible project types those related to the extraction, recovery, or processing of minerals and materials from acid mine drainage, mine tailings, coal and coal waste/byproducts, and related byproducts. The amendment encompasses minerals locatable under the Mining Law of 1872 (including minerals on lands acquired by the United States), rare earth elements, and microfine carbon or carbon derived from coal. In short, the bill aims to streamline and accelerate the regulatory process for domestic production and recovery of these materials, with a focus on rare earths and carbon-related inputs. The bill is titled the Rare Earth Solutions and Carbon Utilization Enhancement Act of 2025 (RESCUE Act). It was introduced in the House and referred to the Committee on Natural Resources. The intended effect is to broaden the set of projects that receive expedited federal permitting and other streamlined processes under the FAST Act for materials critical to national security, energy, and technology sectors.