PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 14, 2009
Cleanup of Inactive and Abandoned Mines Act - Sets forth provisions to encourage the partial or complete remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the public good by good samaritans (defined as persons who had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue or the resulting environmental pollution and who are not legally responsible for such remediation).
Authorizes a permitting authority (i.e., the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] or a state or Indian tribe with an approved Good Samaritan program) to issue a permit to a good samaritan for a mine remediation project if it is determined that: (1) the project will improve the environment on or in the area of the mine site to a significant degree; (2) the project will meet applicable water quality standards; (3) the permittee has the financial and other resources to complete, and will complete, the permitted work; and (4) the relevant governmental entities concur with the issuance of the permit. Terminates the authority to issue permits under this Act on September 30, 2019.
Exempts permits from requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 relating to environmental assessments and impact statements.
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Requires a permitting authority to: (1) consult with permit applicants; (2) maintain all records relating to the permit and the permit process; (3) allow cooperating agencies and the public to participate in the permit process; and (4) monitor remediation projects.
Establishes civil penalties for violations of permit requirements and authorizes injunctions to require compliance with a permit.
People & committees
Rep. Lamborn, Doug [R-CO-5] · R–CO
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.
Referred to House Natural Resources
Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
Referred to House Energy and Commerce
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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