(The Center Square) — Maine lawmakers are wrangling along party lines over proposals to restrict or expand lithium mining in western Maine, with the valuable metal in high demand for rechargeable batteries and high-tech gadgets.

Last year, the Democratic-controlled Legislature approved a raft of bills to update mining laws in the state, prompted by the discovery of one of the world’s largest lithium deposits in the western Maine town of Newry. However, lawmakers are looking to make changes to Maine's Metallic Mineral Mining Act and subsequent regulations adopted by state environmental regulators.

Republicans are pushing to ease the state's mining regulations to allow small-scale enthusiasts to take advantage of sites that include valuable minerals.

One proposal, filed by state Sen. Joseph Martin, R-Oxford, would exempt pegmatite mining — extracting lithium and other minerals igneous rocks — from the restrictions approved last year if the mining is done on a 20-acre or less excavation site.

Martin said the bill's intent is to maintain the state's environmental and safety standards while "cutting unnecessary red tape" for small-scale mining enthusiasts.

"Maine has a rich tradition of rockhounding and small-scale mining — hands-on activities that connect people to our land, our geology, and our history," he wrote in testimony on the bill. "This commonsense change will make it easier for small, non-commercial dig sites to meet safety requirements without the prohibitive cost of commercial-level insurance."

Environmental groups and state regulators testified against the Republican bill during a recent hearing, arguing that Maine shouldn't be easing restrictions on an industry that has a record of polluting the environment.

Meanwhile, Democrats are pushing to expand the scope of the Mining Act to increase regulations on mining for lithium and other precious metals. One proposal would require developers to conduct a comprehensive baseline health assessment for mining communities before initiation of mining operations and require expanded monitoring of toxic waste after a mine closes to prevent pollution-related health impacts.

"Mining has earned a well-known reputation of being the most polluting and destructive of human activities on the planet. It’s not a matter of if a metallic mine will pollute, but when," state Rep. Ambureen Rana, D-Bangor, the bill's main sponsor, wrote in testimony. With improved regulations, we may yet turn metallic mining's unfavorable reputation around and have an industry that is more mutually beneficial as it tries to set roots in Maine."

The wrangling comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week invoking wartime powers to increase the production of critical minerals as part of broader efforts to challenge China's near monopoly of the sector.

"The United States was once the world's largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing federal regulation has eroded our nation's mineral production," Trump wrote.