Bill Summary
This bill, called the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019, seeks to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The amendments include allowing the Secretary of the Interior to delegate certain emergency reclamation activities to States and Tribes, extending the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund from 2022 to 2037, and increasing the reclamation fee. The bill also includes provisions for distributing funds withheld from States under the Budget Control Act of 2011, and exempts certain programs and activities from the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act.
Possible Impacts
1. This legislation could potentially affect individuals who live near or work in areas where surface mining occurs. The amendments could impact how quickly and effectively abandoned mine land is reclaimed, which could have environmental and safety implications for these individuals.
2. The legislation could also have economic ramifications for states and tribal governments who are responsible for reclamation activities. The ability to delegate emergency reclamation activities to these entities could save the federal government money, but could also mean less funding for other important programs and services.
3. The changes to the reclamation fee and allocation of funds could also have an impact on the annual budget of the Department of the Interior, which oversees the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. This could potentially affect the resources available for other projects and initiatives within the department.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4248 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 501
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4248
[Report No. 116-609, Part I]
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to
allow the Secretary of the Interior to delegate certain emergency
reclamation activities to the States and Tribes, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 9, 2019
Mr. Cartwright (for himself, Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania, Mr. Michael
F. Doyle of Pennsylvania, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Ms. Jackson Lee,
Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Ryan, and Mr. Meuser) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural
Resources, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
December 2, 2020
Additional sponsors: Mr. Van Drew, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Reschenthaler, Mr.
Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Huffman, Mr.
Yarmuth, Ms. Wild, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Mullin, Mr. Welch, Mr. Keller, Ms.
Houlahan, Ms. Haaland, Ms. Scanlon, Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of
Pennsylvania, Ms. Dean, Mrs. Axne, Mr. Loebsack, and Ms. Finkenauer
December 2, 2020
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources
December 2, 2020
Committee on the Budget discharged; committed to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to
allow the Secretary of the Interior to delegate certain emergency
reclamation activities to the States and Tribes, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019''.
SEC. 2. ABANDONED MINE LAND RECLAMATION FUND.
Section 401(f)(2) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act
of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1231(f)(2)) is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (A)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``2022'' and
inserting ``2037''; and
(B) by striking ``2022'' and substituting ``2037'';
and
(2) in subparagraph (B)--
(A) in the heading, by striking ``2023'' and
inserting ``2038'';
(B) by striking ``2023'' and substituting ``2038'';
and
(C) by striking ``2022'' and inserting ``2037''.
SEC. 3. EMERGENCY POWERS.
(a) State Reclamation Program.--Section 405(d) of the Surface
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1235(d)) is
amended by striking ``sections 402 and 410 excepted'' and inserting
``section 402 excepted''.
(b) Delegation.--Section 410 of the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1240) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting ``, including through
reimbursement to a State or Tribal Government described in
subsection (c),'' after ``moneys''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(c) State or Tribal Government.--A State or Tribal Government is
eligible to receive reimbursement from the Secretary under subsection
(a) if such State or Tribal Government has submitted, and the Secretary
has approved, an Abandoned Mine Land Emergency Program as part of an
approved State or Tribal Reclamation Plan under section 405.''.
SEC. 4. RECLAMATION FEE.
(a) Duration.--Effective 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, section 402(b) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation
Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1232(b)) is amended by striking ``September 30,
2021'' and inserting ``September 30, 2036''.
(b) Allocation of Funds.--Effective September 30, 2019, section
402(g) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30
U.S.C. 1232(g)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (6)(A), by striking ``paragraphs (1) and
(5)'' inserting ``paragraphs (1), (5), and (8)'';
(2) in paragraph (8)(A), by striking ``$3,000,000'' and
inserting ``$5,000,000''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(9) From amounts withheld pursuant to the Budget Control
Act of 2011 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)) from payments to States under
title IV of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (30
U.S.C. 1232(g)) during fiscal years 2013 through 2018, the
Secretary shall distribute for fiscal year 2019 an amount to
each State equal to the total amount so withheld.''.
SEC. 5. EXEMPT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES.
Section 255(g)(1)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act (2 U.S.C. 905(g)(1)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the
following: ``Payments to States and Indian Tribes from the Abandoned
Mine Reclamation Fund, mandatory grants to States and Indian Tribes
(12-50q5-0-2-999).''.
Union Calendar No. 501
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4248
[Report No. 116-609, Part I]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to
allow the Secretary of the Interior to delegate certain emergency
reclamation activities to the States and Tribes, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 2, 2020
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources
December 2, 2020
Committee on the Budget discharged; committed to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed