§1231a Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund Authorization of Appropriations

Summary

$11,293,000,000 is set aside for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund for fiscal year 2022, and the money stays available until it is all spent. The money must be given as yearly grants as quickly as possible to eligible States and Indian Tribes for abandoned mine land and water cleanup under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Eligible recipients are: States or Tribes with an approved State/Tribal program under section 405; those certified under section 411(a); and those named under section 402(g)(8)(B). States and Tribes may combine project bids into larger statewide or regional contracts. Grants may only pay for the reclamation activities listed in section 403(a) and (b) and section 410 of the Act. Up to 30% of any yearly grant can be kept in a long-term State or Tribal reclamation fund to pay for acid mine drainage treatment, subsidence control, or coal mine fire work; recipients that do this must update their inventories and report the fund balances each year. The Secretary of the Interior must spread the money out equally over 15 years starting November 15, 2021, using each State’s or Tribe’s coal tons produced before August 3, 1977. Each eligible State or Tribe must get at least $20,000,000 if that much is needed for reclamation. The Secretary must report progress to Congress within 6 years after the first payments and get input from States and Tribes. The Secretary will evaluate payments by 20 years after November 15, 2021, and any unused money must be returned to the Fund. Section 401(f)(3)(B) of the Act does not apply to these grants. Finally, $25,000,000 of the money is reserved to help States and Tribes update their reclamation inventories, and projects that hire current or former coal workers may get priority.