Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held an oversight hearing on “Exploring 21^st Century Mining Safety, Environmental Control, and Technological Innovation.”

The new culture of collaboration between technological companies and the mining industry empowers every miner to be in charge of safety.

“So often we get caught looking at contemporary mining companies through the lens of past techniques. This is a dangerous practice when it frames the debates of regulatory reform,” Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said, “any of these conversations should be informed by the current state of the industry.”

The panel stressed how modern mining is not only safe, but environmentally conscious and high tech. Despite heavy regulations placed on the industry at both a federal and state level, companies improve their environmental standards above what is expected.

Panel witness Mark Board, Vice President of Hecla Mining Company, testified that, “Mining is viewed as typically a non-technical, brute force type of industry, but actually mines are highly engineered and the new technology is changing the way these mines work.”

When Rep. Benishek (R-MI) questioned the witnesses about the biggest hindrances in cleaning up old sites, Andrew Watson, director of business development at MWH Global, offered his insight into the industry.

“Where there is a will, there is fear,” Watson said, “a lot of mining companies that have the financial wherewithal and know exactly how to do this […] are scared to go in because they will get stuck with the entire bill.”

Rep. Lamborn provided comment on his proposed solution to this issue. “My bill, the Locatable Minerals Claim Location and Maintenance Fees Act of 2015, will help overcome these obstacles and allow charitable groups to more easily clean up abandoned mines without being punished by litigation.”

The continued advancements in the technological field has the potential to transform how mining takes place, but requires continued integration between technology and the industry.