Washington, DC - Advisers close to President-elect Donald Trump are reportedly recommending that he waive environmental reviews for minerals projects and mines funded by the federal government.

If the advice was to be followed, it would streamline the process by which new mines on federal lands are funded and provided with permits, potentially making the US less dependent on China for materials such as lithium and cobalt.

Specifically, documents acquired by Reuters reveal that advisers are suggesting Trump waive requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), significantly reducing the environmental oversight needed for mining projects.

Such a policy could fast-track mining operations across the US, significantly cutting red tape that Trump has long touted as bureaucratic overreach.

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Jason Miller, who is advising the Trump transition, has been cited by Reuters as saying that Trump has not taken a position on the issue as yet, and that the recommendations come from "outsiders."

During Trump's first term, he introduced stringent controls on NEPA, limiting its reporting to 300 pages and requesting that it be done faster.

Seeing as these changes have been rolled back under President Biden, it would not be a surprise if Trump returned for a closer trim.

The incoming president has already shared plans for a major overhaul and scaling back of environmental and climate policy introduced under the Biden administration. He is widely in favor of mining and skeptical of emissions targets.

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When a proposal finds itself under a NEPA review, the ultimate purpose of that review is to determine whether the project has any major environmental impact. If it has an environmental impact, NEPA's role is then to assess the purpose and need of the project, as well as any alternatives or recommendations that could be implemented, and ultimately approve or deny the proposal. Such reviews can take months or even longer to complete.

Conservation groups are seeking to strengthen requirements under NEPA, making it harder to approve new mines and campaigning for stronger regulations and better conditions for workers.

"Irresponsible mine waste disposal threatens communities and fragile ecosystems around the world," anti-mining and environmental group Earthworks warns on its website.