PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Committee on Environment and Public Works. Joint hearings held with the Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight and the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-638.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 3, 2022
Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2022
This bill promotes the remediation of abandoned hardrock mine sites by Good Samaritans. A Good Samaritan means a person that is (1) not a past or current owner or operator of the abandoned site; (2) had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue; and (3) is not potentially liable under any law for the remediation, treatment, or control of the historic mine residue.
The bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a Good Samaritan pilot program. Under the program, the EPA may issue permits to allow Good Samaritans to remediate historic mine residue at abandoned hardrock mine sites without assuming liability under specified environmental laws for past, present, or future releases, threats of releases, or discharges of hazardous substances or other contaminants at or from the abandoned mine site.
In addition, the bill establishes a Good Samaritan Mine Remediation Fund for land management agencies that authorize Good Samaritans to conduct remediation projects on federal land.
People & committees
Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] · D–NM
Legislative record
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Committee on Environment and Public Works. Joint hearings held with the Subcommittee on Chemical Safety, Waste Management, Environmental Justice, and Regulatory Oversight and the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 117-638.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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