To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to protect taxpayers from liability associated with the reclamation of surface coal mining operations, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 11, 2024
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act of 2024 amends federal coal mining regulations to reduce the financial risk that taxpayers face when coal companies fail to properly reclaim mined land. The bill eliminates self-bonding, a practice where coal companies use their own assets as financial guarantees for cleanup work, and instead requires them to post bonds through independent surety companies or other approved methods. The legislation also imposes new requirements on states that regulate coal mining, including mandatory reporting on historical bond failures and financial forecasts for proposed bonding systems, and establishes stricter standards for surety bonds such as limits on how much any single company can guarantee and requirements for regular revaluation of collateral posted by mining operators. Coal mining companies would have until their next permit renewal or major modification to comply with the new bonding requirements. The bill was introduced in April 2024 and referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
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