To direct the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, to establish a program to facilitate coal mine reclamation and award grants to certain States and Indian Tribes to carry out coal mine reclamation, and for other purposes.
Revitalize, Enhance, and Nurture in Expanded Ways Our Abandoned Mine Lands Act or the RENEW Our Abandoned Mine Lands Act
This bill authorizes grants for states and Indian tribes to carry out reclamation projects on mining sites if there is a shortfall between the actual cost of reclamation and the value of any performance bonds forfeited by coal mining operators. The bill also phases out certain cost-sharing requirements for existing grants that support the development of state and tribal programs for regulating surface mining and reclamation.
Current law requires mining operators to reclaim land affected by their operations and demonstrate, through a performance bond, that they have adequate financial resources to carry out the reclamation. If the operator fails to complete the reclamation, the bond is forfeited to the state or tribal regulatory authority to cover reclamation costs.
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