Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources passed a slate of mining reform bills: H.R. 1731, the “Revitalizing the Economy of Coal Communities by Leveraging Local Activities and Investing More Act of 2017” or the “RECLAIM Act,” H.R. 2053, the “Mining School Enhancement Act,” and H.R. 2937, the “Community Reclamation Partnerships Act.”  

“The last eight years have wreaked havoc on the mining industry. Reforms are necessary now more than ever to address outstanding issues from the quickly approaching retirement of the workforce to cleaning up abandoned mine lands through new and innovative approaches,” Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) said. “These bipartisan measures will bring development to economically devastated communities through the incorporation of creative private sector solutions. I look forward to seeing these infrastructure and reform bills move forward in the House.”

Background:

The “RECLAIM Act” addresses outstanding abandoned mine lands (AML) issues, including ensuring that monies authorized to be spent under the program are limited to reclamation work alone, while encouraging economic revitalization of coal communities nationwide.

The “Community Reclamation Partnerships Act” authorizes partnerships between states and non-governmental entities for the purpose of expanding abandoned mine reclamation projects. The bill addresses impediments potential “Community Reclaimers” face in the reclamation process by allowing states to assume liability on their behalf, shielding them from any undue responsibilities under the law.

Within the next 10 to 15 years, approximately 70 percent of the United States’ mining industry’s technical leaders will reach retirement age. H.R. 2937 addresses the issues of a retiring workforce by requiring the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to direct at least 70 percent of its research funding to mining schools to “enhance and support mining and mineral engineering programs.”