Good Samaritans Must Pony Up Cash to Fix Ghost Mines
Published Date: 8/13/2025
Notice
Summary
If you want to clean up abandoned hardrock mines under the new Good Samaritan Act of 2024, you’ll need to show proof you can pay for the cleanup before you start. This guide helps you understand how to estimate costs, provide financial assurance, and when the EPA can use or return your money. It’s all about making sure projects get done safely and on time without surprises.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 1 mixed.
Must show proof you can pay
If you apply to clean up an abandoned hardrock mine under the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024, your permit application must include financial assurance for every project before you start work. The guidance explains how to meet that requirement so projects proceed only when funds are available.
EPA can use or return your assurance funds
The guidance explains how the Environmental Protection Agency may access financial assurance funds if needed and how those funds may be released back to the permittee. This means funds you post could be drawn by EPA for remediation actions and also could be returned when conditions for release are met.
You must prepare and update cost estimates
The guidance requires preparing initial cost estimates and updating modified cost estimates for Good Samaritan remediation projects. You will need to use those estimates to determine the size and type of financial assurance to provide.
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