“Green renewable energy requires literally tons of minerals that currently are unavailable in the quantities required for this transition. Of course, the GND includes no plan for additional mining to supply this broad initiative.”
Bridges further argues that proponents of the plan appear oblivious to our nation’s degree of import reliance for many of the materials driving green technology, and argues that “if the advocates of the GND wish to limit the threat of war, then the United States needs to become mineral-independent in the same fashion it is now energy-independent.”
“Currently, we are 100 percent import-dependent on China, Russia, and other nations for the tiny rare earth minerals that are the foundation of green technologies, such as the scandium used in fuel cells.
The United States imports more than half of the 120 known elements in quantities deemed to be critical by the Departments of Defense and the Department of the Interior. These strategic minerals are critical components of wind turbines’ powerful magnets, and they are used to create thin films for solar panels. They are also used in our country’s advanced defense systems.
This level of import dependence is unnecessary, as we have most of the needed mineral resources underneath our feet, scattered throughout federal lands in the western United States.
The Green New Deal does nothing to solve this problem. In fact, I’ve seen nothing to suggest GND advocates are even aware of it.”
