The CLEAN UP Mines Act of 2026 strengthens environmental protections for surface coal mining by amending the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. The bill requires mining companies to complete reclamation work more quickly, mandates that all backfilling and grading be finished within 180 days of the last coal production, and establishes that mines inactive for more than six months in any three-year period are considered out of compliance unless operators submit plans to resume production within one year. The legislation also increases environmental monitoring requirements, including quarterly water testing and annual stream condition assessments, and tightens the rules for releasing performance bonds that miners post as financial guarantees for reclamation work. The bill affects coal mining operators and the regulatory agencies that oversee surface mines, while aiming to prevent environmental damage and reduce the number of abandoned or inadequately reclaimed mining sites.
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