Washington, D.C.— As the House passes the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, sending it to President Biden’s desk for signature, SAFE President and CEO Robbie Diamond made the following statement:
“We are shifting to a world powered by technology and built on batteries. Strengthening our nation’s infrastructure is vital if we wish to lead this switch. Passage of today’s legislation is a positive step toward reshaping our nation’s power and transportation sectors to prepare for this future.”
“Provisions in the infrastructure package support national programs that bolster electric vehicle and battery innovation, electrify the nation’s school bus fleet, and expand EV charging stations across the country. The legislation also helps to fill key gaps in the critical materials supply chain, from mapping our mineral resources to examining permitting reform and demonstrating early steps toward domestic rare earths development.”
“As we have become considerably dependent on China for minerals, materials, and more – often critical to our EV supply chain – this bill paves the way for the U.S. to reemerge a top player in several vital markets, in turn fueling our domestic industries, generating new investment, and boosting jobs right here at home.”
Below is a table of SAFE policy recommendations that have been included in the approved legislation.
| SAFE Ask-BID | Provision in Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (BID) |
| $10 billion DOE grant program for battery materials processing, manufacturing, and recycling. | Funded at $6 billion |
| Chartering of a rare earth element processing cooperative | $140 million for a demonstration facility for domestic rare earth extraction, separation, and refining |
| $10 billion for a new Clean School Bus Grant Program | Funded at $2.5 billion |
| Reform the EV charging tax credit by lifting the per site cap. | $7.5 billion in funding for an EV charging grant program |
| Permanently authorize the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to streamline the permitting process for large infrastructure projects. | Included in BID |
| Fully fund the Earth Mapping Resource Initiative at $10 million per year. | Funded at $320 million over 5 years |
| Examine abandoned mine lands for critical minerals. | Included in BID |
| Codify the Resilient Energy Infrastructure Framework | Included in BID |
| Support grid modernization efforts. | Included in BID |
| Federal research and development on second life battery applications. | Included in BID |
Contact: Bridget Dunn | 202.539.7885 | bdunn@secureenergy.org
About SAFE
SAFE enhances the nation’s energy security and supports our economic resurgence and resiliency, by advancing transformative transportation and mobility technologies and ensuring that the United States secures key aspects of the technology supply chain to achieve and maintain our strategic advantage.
In partnership with the Electrification Coalition, SAFE’s sister organization, we work with consumers, businesses, and policymakers, to launch award-winning “real-world” programs and enable the needed polices to accelerate transportation electrification around the country to reduce our Nation’s dependence on oil.
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