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Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024

H.R. 7779 Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT-2) In committee
Bill text PDF
  1. Introduced Mar 21
  2. Committee Mar 21
  3. Passed House Next
  4. Passed Senate Not yet
  5. To President Not yet
  6. Law Not yet
Where it stands
In committee, Mar 21, 2024Next: House vote
686d ago Dec 11, 2024: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 703.
Final votes
No roll callsNo recorded vote on this bill yet
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1company, 1 filing
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Summary

This bill creates a pilot program allowing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue up to 15 'Good Samaritan' permits for the remediation of abandoned hardrock mine sites. It defines key terms, sets eligibility and application requirements, establishes a fund for the program, and requires a report to Congress on its results.

Sec. 2, Definitions: Defines terms used in the bill, including 'abandoned hardrock mine site' (a mine site with no identified responsible owner or operator), 'Good Samaritan' (a person not liable for the historic mine residue), 'historic mine residue' (pollution from past mining), and 'remediation' (actions to clean up or contain that pollution).

Sec. 3, Scope: States that the bill does not reduce existing liability under other laws, does not authorize new mining or processing except as allowed by a permit, and does not impose or relieve the United States of liability under certain environmental laws.

Sec. 4, Abandoned Hardrock Mine Site Good Samaritan Pilot Project Authorization: Establishes a pilot program under which the EPA may grant up to 15 Good Samaritan permits for remediation projects. To be eligible, a person must show the project is for remediation of historic mine residue, poses low environmental risk, and that the person has the resources and experience to complete the work. The application must include a description of the site, baseline conditions, a remediation plan, a schedule, a health and safety plan, a contingency plan, and financial assurances. The EPA may also grant up to 15 investigative sampling permits to assess baseline conditions.

Sec. 5, Special Accounts: Creates a Good Samaritan Mine Remediation Fund in the U.S. Treasury for each federal land management agency and the EPA. The fund consists of appropriated amounts, proceeds from reprocessing, financial assurance funds, and donations. Money in the fund may be retained and used without fiscal year limitation.

Sec. 6, Report to Congress: Requires the EPA, within 8 years of enactment, to submit a report to Congress evaluating the pilot program. The report must include the number and types of permits, results achieved, problems encountered, progress made, and recommendations on whether to continue the program.

Summary of the bill text as reported in House (Dec 11, 2024), generated by SecBot from the official bill text; the Library of Congress summary is not yet published.

Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 27, 2026.