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118-s-2781118th Congress

Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024

Sponsored By: Senator Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

Became Law

Summary

Creates a limited pilot Good Samaritan permit program to let qualified groups remediate abandoned hardrock mine sites under EPA oversight, while setting monitoring rules, liability limits, and a dedicated remediation fund.

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  • Communities and drinking water systems get clearer protections and notice. Projects must show they protect public health and meet water quality goals, and local governments with drinking water jurisdiction and nearby tribes must be notified and may comment.
  • Good Samaritans must prove experience, capacity, and financial assurance and follow strict monitoring and corrective-action rules. Permits can provide specified Clean Water Act and CERCLA-related protections during the permit term but noncompliance can remove those protections.
  • Federal land projects require the relevant land agency to sign decisions and transfers. The law limits the pilot to up to 15 Good Samaritan permits and creates a Good Samaritan Mine Remediation Fund with appropriations, reprocessing proceeds, assurances, O&M funds, and donations as sources.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Fund for abandoned mine cleanup

The law creates a Good Samaritan mine cleanup fund for EPA and each federal land agency. Money can come from Congress, approved reprocessing proceeds, financial assurance funds, long‑term operations payments, and donations. Agencies can keep and use the money without a yearly deadline to pay for cleanups and long‑term site care.

Permits to clean up old mines

The law lets qualified groups get permits to clean up abandoned hardrock mines. EPA can issue up to 15 cleanup permits and must decide a complete application within 180 days. Work must start within 18 months after a permit is granted, and the pilot accepts new applications for 7 years. EPA must do an environmental review and issue a finding of no significant impact before a permit. Projects under a permit get narrow protections from certain Clean Water Act and Superfund rules while they follow the permit. EPA can also issue up to 15 investigative sampling permits at a time to test soil, water, and residue; these do not allow reprocessing and can be converted to a cleanup permit within 1 year after sampling ends. Permits do not allow new mining; limited reprocessing of old mine residue on federal land can be approved, with proceeds used to cover cleanup costs and support the cleanup fund.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Heinrich, Martin [D-NM]

NM • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Rep. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ-9]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]

    NM • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Tester, Jon [D-MT]

    MT • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Boozman, John [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 9/13/2023

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 9/26/2023

  • Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2023

  • Sen. Braun, Mike [R-IN]

    IN • R

    Sponsored 10/3/2023

  • Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 10/18/2023

  • Sen. Romney, Mitt [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 10/18/2023

  • Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 10/19/2023

  • Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]

    IA • R

    Sponsored 10/19/2023

  • Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 1/17/2024

  • Sen. Hoeven, John [R-ND]

    ND • R

    Sponsored 1/17/2024

  • Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 1/31/2024

  • Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD]

    SD • R

    Sponsored 1/31/2024

  • Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 2/8/2024

  • Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2]

    OK • R

    Sponsored 2/8/2024

  • Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 3/7/2024

  • Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV]

    WV • R

    Sponsored 3/7/2024

  • Sen. Butler, Laphonza R. [D-CA]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 3/22/2024

  • Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]

    UT • R

    Sponsored 3/22/2024

  • Sen. Manchin, Joe, III [D-WV]

    WV • D

    Sponsored 5/15/2024

  • Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 5/15/2024

  • Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH]

    NH • D

    Sponsored 7/8/2024

  • Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]

    NC • R

    Sponsored 7/8/2024

  • Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

    AR • R

    Sponsored 7/11/2024

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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