U.S. Fast-Tracks Permitting for Critical Mineral Projects

In May 2025, the U.S. federal government took a decisive step to accelerate domestic production of critical minerals by expanding the FAST-41 permitting program, a process designed to streamline the federal review and authorization of large-scale infrastructure projects. Originally created under the 2015 Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act and solidified by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the program is now being leveraged to support a strategic national push for mineral independence and energy security.