US Senators recently introduced bipartisan legislation to maintain competitive royalty rates on America's natural soda ash, which is crucial in manufacturing industrial products such as glass. The Soda Ash Competitiveness Act will set the royalty rate on sodium compounds (and related products) produced from federal land at 2% for five years. "Natural soda ash produced in the US directly supports hundreds of jobs in Oregon and across the country and was the second largest export for the Port of Portland in 2014" said Senator Ron Wyden. "Continuing the royalty relief for domestic soda ash keeps the playing field level so American producers can stay competitive in a global market where China is gaming the system and producing synthetic soda ash exports at the expense of US producers and the environment. The current royalty rate reduction is set to expire this year, so now is the time for the Senate to act and create certainty for this thriving American industry."
