CLEAN UP Mines Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Introduced
Summary
faster, stricter reclamation and monitoring for surface coal mines would be the bill's central change. It would tighten when and how operators must backfill, revegetate, monitor water, and release financial assurances after mining stops.
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- Mine operators would face tighter deadlines and permit rules. Backfilling and regrading must be completed within 180 days after reported coal production and revegetation must meet success timelines or be achieved within one additional year. Requests to pause mining would count as major permit revisions and permits with no activity for more than 6 months in any 3-year period could be found noncompliant unless operators promise to return within 1 year or seek a permit revision.
- Nearby communities and waterways would see more monitoring and oversight. The bill would require quarterly surface and groundwater monitoring with specified data types, annual biological assessments of streams, and inspections of runoff controls after precipitation events as intense as a 100-year, 6-hour storm.
- Regulators would get stricter bond and release rules. Bond or deposit release would be tied to meeting the new reclamation standards and the bill would lower the bond release trigger from 60 to 40 while adding extra postclosure conditions.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Stricter permit inactivity and pauses
The bill would make a permit out of compliance if no active coal removal or reclamation happens for more than 6 months in any 3-year period, unless the permit already meets new standards with no variances. A permit would stay noncompliant until regulators approve either a plan to resume production within one year of notice or a formal permit revision. The bill would also treat requests to temporarily stop or suspend mining as a significant permit revision under permit rules.
Tighter mine reclamation deadlines
The bill would set firm deadlines for reclaiming surface coal mines. Operators would have backfilling and regrading done within 180 days after the date of last coal production. Regraded-area obligations would be finished within 36 months after last coal production. Extensions to reach successful revegetation would be limited to one additional year, and final grading must be completed before removal of the needed equipment.
New water monitoring and inspections
The bill would require quarterly monitoring of surface water and groundwater during mining and reclamation. Monitoring would include surface drainage above and below the mine, groundwater including below the lowest coal seam to be mined, precipitation sites, and keeping well logs and borehole records. The bill would also require regulators to inspect runoff control structures after every precipitation event as intense as a 100-year, 6-hour storm.
Tougher rules for bond release
The bill would tighten when regulators can release performance bonds or deposits after reclamation. Regulators would have to consider new reclamation performance standards together with the approved reclamation plan before releasing bonds. The numeric bond-release trigger in the rules would change from 60 to 40.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
VA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/26/2026
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 5/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov