Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has formally requested that President Donald Trump lift tariffs on lithium imports, warning of serious consequences for Nevada’s emerging energy sector.
In his letter, Lombardo expressed appreciation for Trump's commitment to reviving American manufacturing but highlighted concerns about the impact of tariffs on the lithium industry, which is still in its early stages and lacks domestic refining capabilities.
He emphasized that Nevada, home to the largest known lithium deposits in North America, is uniquely positioned to lead in energy innovation.
However, with no current U.S. infrastructure to process lithium to manufacturing standards, companies are forced to rely on imports, mainly from China.
Lombardo warned that the tariffs with the current process of how some companies are exporting and then re importing refined lithium back into the United states, is making U.S. manufacturers less competitive and threatening jobs, urging Trump to remove them to support energy independence and economic growth.
