Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act of 2026

This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to strengthen requirements for permit performance bonds for surface coal mining operations, ensuring bonds are sufficient to cover reclamation costs under various scenarios. Sec. 2, Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 Reform: Subsection (a) revises bond requirements under Section 509, specifying that bonds must be filed before permit issuance, cover initial and incremental mining areas, and be set by the regulatory authority based on reclamation difficulty, with a rebuttable presumption of mine closure 5 years after permit issuance. The bond amount must consider inflation, unplanned closure impacts on spoil availability, and additional costs from regulatory reclamation, with a minimum of $52,593 annually adjusted for inflation. Subsection (b) amends Section 511 to require bond recalculation and posting before permit transfers, assignments, sales, or revisions, and holds permittees and covered persons (those owning 30% or more of capital interests) jointly and severally liable for all reclamation costs, including postmining water pollution treatment. Subsection (c) amends Section 517 to require inspectors to report changes that may increase reclamation costs or necessitate bond adjustments, and to make inspection reports available electronically and publicly. Subsection (d) directs the Secretary of the Interior, within 90 days, to issue regulations establishing guidelines and benchmarks for minimum bond amounts, using data from recent reclamation projects completed due to bond forfeiture.