; relating to certain actions under section 303 of the Defense Production Act of 1950) to create, maintain, protect, expand, or restore sustainable and responsible domestic production capabilities through— (1) supporting feasibility studies for mature mining, beneficiation, and value-added processing projects; (2) byproduct and co-product production at existing mining, mine waste reclamation, and other industrial facilities; (3) modernization of mining, beneficiation, and value-added processing to increase productivity, environmental sustainability, and workforce safety; or (4) any other activity authorized under section 303(a)(1) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 15 ( 50 U.S.C. 4533(a)(1) ). (c) Exception An action described in subsection (b) may not be treated as a covered project or be included in the Permitting Dashboard under subsection (a) if the project sponsor (as defined in section 41001(18) of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 4370m(18) )) requests that the action not be treated as a covered project. 7. Mineral exploration activities with limited surface disturbance Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 15 calendar days after receiving a notice in such time, place, and manner as the applicable Secretary determines appropriate describing the exploration activities and subsequent reclamation activities, the Secretary of the Interior with respect to lands administered by the Secretary, and the Secretary of Agriculture with respect to National Forest System lands, shall— (1) review and determine completeness of the notice; and (2) allow mineral exploration activities other than casual use to proceed if— (A) the surface disturbance on Federal land will not exceed 5 acres; (B) the Secretary determines that the notice is complete