Burying Ghost Funds in Mining Reclamation Rules
Published Date: 11/24/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting January 23, 2026, the government will stop giving out special replacement funds that were meant to cover old State or Tribal money not approved by Congress before 2007. This change affects States and Tribes who were expecting these funds, and it means no new money will be handed out under these old rules. If anyone has big concerns, they can speak up by December 24, 2025, before the rule kicks in.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
Stops Prior Balance Replacement Payments
The Department of the Interior is removing 30 CFR 872.30, which ends the distribution of prior balance replacement funds that replaced State or Tribal share funds allocated before October 1, 2007 but never appropriated by Congress. The rescission is effective January 23, 2026 unless significant adverse comments are received by December 24, 2025, and means no new awards will be made under that regulatory provision.
Unspent Funds Kept Under Original Rules
If a State or Tribe still has unspent prior balance replacement funds, those funds will remain governed by the regulations that were in place at the time the initial grant award was made. The rescission does not change how any existing unspent funds are managed under the original grant rules.
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-20828 — Prior Balance Replacement Funds
This new rule wipes out old regulations about 'prior balance replacement funds'—money meant to replace State or Tribal funds promised before 2007 but never actually given by Congress. States and Tribes affected by these funds will see these rules disappear starting January 23, 2026, unless people speak up by December 24, 2025. No new money changes, just a cleanup to make things clearer and simpler!
Next: 2025-20831 — Prior Balance Replacement Funds
This new rule wipes out old references to 'prior balance replacement funds'—money that was supposed to help States and Tribes but never actually got approved by Congress before 2007. If you’re part of a State or Tribal mining program, this cleanup means clearer rules with no impact on your current funding. The change kicks in January 23, 2026, unless folks send in big objections by December 24, 2025.