Document oDvx056ye8V6aJyGVkBMXnDa7

M FREEPORT-MCMORAN and economic stability."' President Trump has also described the criticality of copper by recently recognizing the mineral's importance "to the national security, economic strength, and industrial resilience of the United States," as well as the "significant vulnerabilities in the copper supply chain, with increasing reliance on foreign sources for mined, smelted, and refined copper."' Indeed, the United States' "increasing dependence on foreign sources of copper, particularly from a concentrated number of supplier nations, along with the risk of foreign market manipulation," introduces trade concerns that threaten national sccurity.29 Likewise, 12MM1 notes that the Administration has reiterated that domestic mineral production, including of copper, is a strategic national interest, especially as a means to "reduce . . . reliance on foreign nations" and generate "a secure, predictable, and affordable supply of minerals.i3Q This Administration's actions fit within a broader federal policy to ensure reliable, secure, and resilient domestic supply chains for key minerals and materials. As part of. the Energy Act of 2020, Congress set forth its findings that: "the availability of materials3 ' is essential for national security, economic well-being, and industrial production"; "the availability of materials is affected by the stability of foreign sources of essential industrial materials, instability of materials markets, international competition and demand for materials, the need for energy and materials conservation, and the enhancement of environmental quality"; and "extraction, production, processing, use, recycling, and disposal of materials are closely linked with national concerns for energy and the environment."' Congress also set forth its policy "to promote an adequate and stable supply of materials necessary to maintain national security, economic well-being and industrial production" in order to "assure the availability of materials critical to commerce, the economy, and national security" and to Exec. Order No. 14,220, Addressing the Threat to National Security from Imports of Copper, 90 Fcd. Reg. 11001 (Feb. 25, 2025). hl. Exec. Order No. 14.241, Immediate MetiStireS to Increase American Mineral Production, 90 Fcd. Reg. 13673 (Mar. 20, 2025). Defined as "substances, including minerals, of current or potential use that will be needed to supply the industrial, military, and essential civilian needs of the United States in the production of goods or services, including those which arc primarily imported or for which there is a prospect of shortages or uncertain supply, or which present opportunities in terms of new physical properties, use, recycling, disposal or substitution, with the exclusion of food and of energy fuels used as such." 30 U.S.C. 1601(h)(2). hl. 160 I (a)(1)--(3). Sierra Club FOIA 2025-EPA-04883 ED_018388_00000153-00012 SC_EVERSPLIT0005915