# Colorado SB25-054: Mining Reclamation & Interstate Compact Colorado SB25-054, Mining Reclamation & Interstate Compact, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Cleave Simpson (Republican), Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Karen McCormick (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2025-05-16 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-054-2025A - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB25-054 - State: Colorado - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Mining Reclamation & Interstate Compact - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-16 - Last action: 2025-05-16, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Cleave Simpson (Republican), Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Karen McCormick (Democratic), Matthew Martinez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 24 - Subjects: Natural Resources & Environment - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (133 yes, 1 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 15 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Colorado can address legacy mine emergencies: benefit, low. Colorado's mining board or office can respond to dangerous conditions at legacy mines after investigating. Conditions qualify when they threaten public health, public welfare, or the environment. The danger qualifies even when no person's actions caused it. - Colorado joins states on mine protection: benefit, low. Colorado joins the Interstate Mining Compact with states adopting substantially the same agreement. Each state has one commissioner, normally its governor; Colorado's governor can name a designee. An advisory body includes mining, conservation, and other public and private interests. Member states… - Forfeited mine security funds land cleanup: benefit, low. All forfeited cleanup-warranty proceeds go into a special account in the general fund to reclaim the covered land. The former 5% share for administrative costs is removed. The board can enter the land to carry out cleanup. After cleanup, the board provides an accounting and returns unspent money to… - Mine planting favors native pollinator plants: benefit, low. Mine cleanup plans involving planting must first consider native plants that support pollinators. Plant cover must be diverse, durable, self-renewing, and at least as extensive as surrounding vegetation. It must also fit the planned use of the land after mining. The board can allow introduced plant… - Lower warranty costs for some operators: benefit, low. Construction-materials applicants using specified self-insurance provisions no longer pay the annual financial-warranty review fee. The related authority to spend those fees on outside financial and legal services is removed. The law also removes an old requirement to include construction-material… - Mining applicants get clearer hearing deadlines: benefit, low. For construction-materials permit hearings, the board or office must post the time, date, and location on the Division website. A local newspaper must also publish notice once weekly for the two consecutive weeks immediately before the hearing. The board must decide applications within 120 days of… - Mine operators face ongoing warranty checks: cost, low. Operators and financial backers must keep cleanup warranties in good standing throughout the permit and immediately report possible impairment. Those using specified financial-responsibility forms must file yearly independent-auditor certifications covering compliance at fiscal year-end. Covered pa… - Mining rules cover waste removal: cost, low. Operators recovering minerals from refuse on affected land must follow mining rules. The definition of mining operations also covers removing waste piles and refuse. These activities fall under the applicable mining and reclamation requirements. - Operators must fund selected cleanup trusts: cost, low. Operators using an individual reclamation fund must establish it when production begins or site conditions and liabilities change. An independent trustee holds the money for the board. Operators make periodic cash payments to provide money for cleanup. The board sets the fund's terms. - Operators pay warranty hearing consultant fees: cost, low. Operators must pay independent consultants hired by the board for financial-warranty hearings. The operator must sign a written fee agreement before the consultant is hired. Refusing to sign lets the board order a replacement warranty without a hearing. After a hearing finds material impairment, th… - Mining commission benefits and staffing flexibility: mixed, low. The Interstate Mining Commission can establish retirement and other benefit programs for its employees. Social Security old-age and survivor coverage requires the commission to complete federal participation steps. With commission approval, its executive director can hire and remove staff and set d… - Colorado funds mining compact with safeguards: mixed, low. Half the commission's requested state funding is divided equally; half follows each state's share of mined-mineral value. The commission must identify the public sources used to measure those values. Colorado can pay annual dues from specified mining fees, abandoned-mine funds, natural-resource ope… - Faster mine cleanup permits with fees: mixed, low. Legacy mines lack a bond, other financial backing, or reclamation responsibility covering cleanup of earlier or abandoned mining. Operators can seek faster cleanup-only permits for sites under five acres through applications filed after September 1, 2025. Each application costs $288 and requires la… - Mine cleanup security options change: mixed, low. The law removes specified financial-rating, financial-test, and project-equipment-lien options for proving operators can pay for cleanup. The board can accept property only for cleanup liabilities above $30 million, or above $50 million for construction-materials operations. The amount credited can… - State mine liens outrank most creditors: mixed, low. Colorado's reclamation liens take priority over most other liens, regardless of when those other claims were recorded. Exceptions protect liens already of record on June 19, 1981, and government liens for unpaid taxes. The state's lien attaches and counts as legally perfected when the board approve… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Cleave Simpson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Karen McCormick (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Brianna Titone (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eliza Hamrick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jarvis Caldwell (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Junie Joseph (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lesley Smith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Gonzalez (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rebecca Keltie (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Tisha Mauro (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Sen. F. Winter - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Ball (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Catlin (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Snyder (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-28 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 63 | 1 | | | 2025-04-25 | House | Refer Senate Bill 25-054 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 11 | 0 | | | 2025-04-21 | House | Refer Senate Bill 25-054 to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 13 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 25-054, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2025-02-12 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 25-054, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 6 | 0 | | ## Actions (14) - 2025-05-16: Governor Signed (House) - 2025-05-12: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2025-05-12: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2025-05-12: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2025-04-28: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2025-04-25: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2025-04-25: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2025-04-21: House Committee on Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Refer Unamended to Appropriations (House) - 2025-04-14: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources (House) - 2025-04-11: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2025-01-16: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82904/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82895/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82907/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82901/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82897/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82899/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40685/download) ## Related bills - SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates (signed) - HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection (signed) - HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law (signed) - SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs (signed) - SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration (signed) - SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82904/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82895/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82907/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82901/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82897/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/82899/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/40685/download) ## Related - [SB25-279: Colorado Code of Military Justice Updates](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-279-2025A) - [HB25-1234: Utility Consumer Protection](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1234-2025A) - [HB25-1307: Updating Technical References in Education Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB25-1307-2025A) - [SB25-163: Battery Stewardship Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-163-2025A) - [SB25-261: Property Tax Deferral Program Administration](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-261-2025A) - [SB25-167: Invest State Funds to Benefit Communities](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-167-2025A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB25-054-2025A (as of 2026-10-19).