THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LOVES ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN THEORY BUT NOT IN PRACTICE

California is now seeking Environmental Protection Agency approval to phase out gas-powered vehicle sales in just 12 years, the very epitome of putting the cart before the horse in climate policy.

This emphasis on a clean transportation sector, of course, hasn’t come out of thin air. Last May, the Biden administration supercharged its electric vehicle agenda by announcing a $3.1 billion plan to manufacture batteries in the U.S. to accelerate the transition away from traditional combustion engine vehicles.

HOW GEORGE SOROS IS SPREADING ADDICTION, DEATH, AND CHAOS ACROSS THE US

Yet one year later, jump-starting domestic mining projects hasn’t been a priority for the Biden administration.

In order to have the clean transportation transition that the Biden administration has idealized, we will need to mine more in the next 30 years than human society has throughout history. Currently, most of the rare earth minerals used in the United States are sourced from elsewhere, in places such as China and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Not only does this mean that the U.S. isn’t seeing all the benefits of a clean energy economy here at home, but we’re empowering actors with poor environmental and human rights records.

Climate advocates don’t spend a lot of time on the logistical challenges of electric vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. A transition from combustion engines to EVs is anything but simple. Mineral needs, including lithium and copper, that go into EV batteries will increase by almost 500% by mid-century. Our nation lacks the infrastructure for widespread EV charging, and electric vehicles are still more expensive than traditional cars not just to buy but to operate, which is a burden many can’t afford.

All of these factors must be addressed, and it makes sense to start with the mineral needs and supply chains that currently drive up the cost of EVs. Unfortunately, the administration is a step behind here.

A perfect example is that the U.S. Forest Service recently hit the brakes on a copper mine in Arizona that would supply much-needed copper for clean energy technologies. Even though the mine is now the subject of a disagreement between the company and Native American tribes in the region, this mine promises to provide 25% of our future copper needs. While some of the environmental concerns certainly have merit, we have to acknowledge that domestic mining and processing of copper provide a more positive impact on people and the planet than the current alternative.

Unfortunately, all policies come with trade-offs. The primary trade-off for clean forms of energy and transportation is that these technologies require rare earth materials that necessitate mining. Environmental advocates have long opposed mining in the U.S., as mining has inherent environmental impacts, but we must look at where this narrow-minded approach has gotten us. Mining outside the United States where environmental standards are lower is not better for the environment, nor is it better for laborers — often children — that work in abhorrent conditions. The Biden administration must not only accept this reality but put a plan into action to address it.

To be clear, electrifying our transportation sector is a worthy goal. Contrary to popular belief, the majority of emissions in the United States do not come from the energy sector but instead from the transportation sector. The problem here is not that President Joe Biden wants to encourage clean innovation in the transportation sector, but that his administration is trying to skip a crucial step in its quest to do so.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RESTORING AMERICA

Christopher Barnard (@ChrisBarnardDL) is the vice president of external affairs at the American Conservation Coalition.

Tags: Opinion, Beltway Confidential, Blog Contributors, Biden Administration, Electric Vehicles, Opinion

Original Author: Christopher Barnard

Original Location: The Biden administration loves electric vehicles in theory but not in practice

2023-06-04T10:27:40Z dg43tfdfdgfd