Every project in the mining and energy industries exists only as long as it has valid environmental permits. No project can begin, operate, expand, close, be reclaimed, or be decommissioned without required environmental permits. This makes environmental data—correctly analyzed, interpreted, and clearly communicated—as important as commodity prices or energy demand data to regulators, senior corporate executives, bankers, and equity investors. This is particularly true when commodity prices are in a trough and energy prices are in flux.