Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and Material Projects
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION
THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY DOMINANCE COUNCIL
THE DIRECTOR OF THE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
THE PRESIDENT OF THE EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE UNITED STATES
THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION
SUBJECT: Simplifying the Funding of Energy Infrastructure and Critical Mineral and Material Projects
Throughout my Administration, we have acted to make the Federal Government more efficient and to support our domestic energy industries. To maintain energy dominance, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must share information with one another when providing funding to energy infrastructure and critical mineral and material projects. This will eliminate duplicative diligence processes and improve strategic investment. We must further ensure that applicants for Federal funding within the energy infrastructure and critical mineral and material industries are not burdened by requirements to complete multiple, complex, and substantially similar applications. Streamlining this application process and increasing information-sharing across agencies will enable the Federal Government to make faster, better funding decisions that support our domestic energy infrastructure and critical mineral and material supply chains.
To the extent permissible by law, the heads of agencies to whom this memorandum is directed shall share with the Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) information regarding applications for funding, and existing funding commitments of their respective agencies, related to energy infrastructure or critical mineral or material-related projects, and shall permit the Chair of the NEDC to share such information with such other agencies as the Chair of the NEDC deems relevant. To the extent that sharing such information would require the consent of the applicant, or of the funding recipient with respect to funds that have already been committed or disbursed, agencies shall seek such consent as expeditiously as possible. If consent is needed prior to sharing the relevant information, agencies shall not obligate or disburse any funds for energy infrastructure or critical mineral or material-related projects effective on the date of this memorandum, to the extent permissible by law, unless the applicant or funding recipient has provided the necessary consent as determined by the applicable agency in consultation with the Chair of the NEDC. Within 60 days of the date of this memorandum, each agency to whom this memorandum is directed shall further modify its existing information-sharing policies and initiate appropriate rulemaking proceedings as needed to permit this information sharing, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
Within 180 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Chair of the NEDC shall, in coordination with the heads of agencies to whom this memorandum is directed, develop a common application for Federal funding opportunities related to energy infrastructure or critical mineral or material-related projects that enables applicants to apply simultaneously to multiple Federal Government funding programs using one common application. The common application shall include any legal terms, including consents, necessary to facilitate the information-sharing requirements of the preceding paragraph. The heads of agencies to whom this memorandum is directed shall determine, in coordination with the Chair of the NEDC and the Director of OMB, the appropriate programs that will utilize the common application, the technical means by which the common application will be utilized by applicants and agencies, the material that will be requested by the common application, the need for or permissibility of any agency-specific addenda, relevant exemptions to use of the common application, and any legal terms required to be included in the common application in order to enable collection and sharing of information across agencies.
This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
DONALD J. TRUMP