113 HR 5060 IH: Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014
U.S. House of Representatives
2014-07-10
text/xml
EN
Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
1.Short title; table of contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions and references.
Sec. 3. Application rules.
Title I—Mineral exploration and development
Sec. 101. Limitation on patents.
Sec. 102. Royalty.
Sec. 103. Hardrock mining claim maintenance fee.
Sec. 104. Effect of payments for use and occupancy of claims.
Title II—Protection of special places
Sec. 201. Lands open to location.
Sec. 202. Withdrawal petitions by States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes.
Title III—Environmental Considerations of Mineral Exploration and Development
Sec. 301. General standard for hardrock mining on Federal land.
Sec. 302. Permits.
Sec. 303. Exploration permit.
Sec. 304. Operations permit.
Sec. 305. Persons ineligible for permits.
Sec. 306. Financial assurance.
Sec. 307. Operation and reclamation.
Sec. 308. State law and regulation.
Sec. 309. Limitation on the issuance of permits.
Title IV—Mining Mitigation
Subtitle A—Hardrock Minerals Fund
Sec. 401. Definitions.
Sec. 402. Establishment of Fund.
Sec. 403. Contents of Fund.
Sec. 404. Subaccounts.
Sec. 405. Displaced material reclamation fee.
Subtitle B—Use of Hardrock Reclamation Account
Sec. 411. Use and objectives of the account.
Sec. 412. Eligible lands and waters.
Sec. 413. Authorization of appropriations.
Subtitle C—Use of Hardrock Community Impact Assistance Account
Sec. 421. Use and objectives of the account.
Sec. 422. Allocation of funds.
Title V—Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions
Subtitle A—Administrative Provisions
Sec. 501. Policy functions.
Sec. 502. User fees.
Sec. 503. Inspection and monitoring.
Sec. 504. Citizens suits.
Sec. 505. Administrative and judicial review.
Sec. 506. Enforcement.
Sec. 507. Regulations.
Sec. 508. Effective date.
Subtitle B—Miscellaneous Provisions
Sec. 511. Oil shale claims.
Sec. 512. Purchasing power adjustment.
Sec. 513. Savings clause.
Sec. 514. Availability of public records.
Sec. 515. Miscellaneous powers.
Sec. 516. Multiple mineral development and surface resources.
Sec. 517. Mineral materials.
Title VI—Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines
Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Findings; purposes.
Sec. 603. Scope.
Sec. 604. Good samaritan discharge permits.
2.Definitions and references
(a)As used in this Act:
(1)The term affiliate means with respect to any person, any of the following:
(A)Any person who controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with such person.
(B)Any partner of such person.
(C)Any person owning at least 10 percent of the voting shares of such person.
(2)The term applicant means any person applying for a permit under this Act or a modification to or a renewal of a
permit under this Act.
(3)The term beneficiation means the crushing and grinding of locatable mineral ore and such processes as are employed to
free the mineral from other constituents, including but not necessarily
limited to, physical and chemical separation techniques.
(4)The term casual use—
(A)subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), means mineral activities that do not ordinarily result in any
disturbance of public lands and resources;
(B)includes collection of geochemical, rock, soil, or mineral specimens using handtools, hand panning,
or nonmotorized sluicing; and
(C)does not include—
(i)the use of mechanized earth-moving equipment, suction dredging, or explosives;
(ii)the use of motor vehicles in areas closed to off-road vehicles;
(iii)the construction of roads or drill pads; and
(iv)the use of toxic or hazardous materials.
(5)The term claim holder means a person holding a mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim located under the
general mining laws and maintained in compliance with such laws and this
Act. Such term may include an agent of a claim holder.
(6)The term control means having the ability, directly or indirectly, to determine (without regard to whether
exercised through one or more corporate structures) the manner in which an
entity conducts mineral activities, through any means, including without
limitation, ownership interest, authority to commit the entity’s real or
financial assets, position as a director, officer, or partner of the
entity, or contractual arrangement.
(7)The term exploration—
(A)subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), means creating surface disturbance other than casual use, to
evaluate the type, extent, quantity, or quality of minerals present;
(B)includes mineral activities associated with sampling, drilling, and analyzing locatable mineral
values; and
(C)does not include extraction of mineral material for commercial use or sale.
(8)The term Federal land means any land, and any interest in land, that is owned by the United States and open to location
of mining claims under the general mining laws and title II of this Act.
(9)The term Indian lands means lands held in trust for the benefit of an Indian tribe or individual or held by an Indian
tribe or individual subject to a restriction by the United States against
alienation.
(10)The term Indian tribe means any Indian tribe, band, nation, pueblo, or other organized group or community, including any
Alaska Native village or regional corporation as defined in or established
pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et
seq.), that is recognized as eligible for the special programs and
services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status
as Indians.
(11)The term locatable mineral—
(A)subject to subparagraph (B), means any mineral, the legal and beneficial title to which remains in
the United States and that is not subject to disposition under any of—
(i)the Mineral Leasing Act (30 U.S.C. 181 et seq.);
(ii)the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 (30 U.S.C. 1001 et seq.);
(iii)the Act of July 31, 1947, commonly known as the Materials Act of 1947 (30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.); or
(iv)the Mineral Leasing for Acquired Lands Act (30 U.S.C. 351 et seq.); and
(B)does not include any mineral that is subject to a restriction against alienation imposed by the
United States and is—
(i)held in trust by the United States for any Indian or Indian tribe, as defined in section 2 of the
Indian Mineral Development Act of 1982 (25 U.S.C. 2101); or
(ii)owned by any Indian or Indian tribe, as defined in that section.
(12)The term mineral activities means any activity on a mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim for, related to, or
incidental to, mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, or
reclamation activities for any locatable mineral.
(13)The term National Conservation System unit means any unit of the National Park System, National Wildlife Refuge System, National Wild and
Scenic Rivers System, or National Trails System, or a National
Conservation Area, a National Recreation Area, a National Monument, or any
unit of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
(14)The term operator means any person proposing or authorized by a permit issued under this Act to conduct mineral
activities and any agent of such person.
(15)The term person means an individual, Indian tribe, partnership, association, society, joint venture, joint stock
company, firm, company, corporation, cooperative, or other organization
and any instrumentality of State or local government including any
publicly owned utility or publicly owned corporation of State or local
government.
(16)The term processing means processes downstream of beneficiation employed to prepare locatable mineral ore into the
final marketable product, including but not limited to smelting and
electrolytic refining.
(17)The term Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior, unless otherwise specified.
(18)The term temporary cessation means a halt in mine-related production activities for a continuous period of no longer than 5
years.
(19)The term undue degradation means irreparable harm to significant scientific, cultural, or environmental resources on public
lands that cannot be effectively mitigated.
(b)As used in this Act, the term valid existing rights means a mining claim or millsite claim located on lands described in section 201(b), that—
(1)was properly located and maintained under the general mining laws prior to the date of enactment of
this Act;
(2)was supported by a discovery of a valuable mineral deposit within the meaning of the general mining
laws on the date of enactment of this Act, or satisfied the limitations
under existing law for millsite claims; and
(3)continues to be valid under this Act.
(c)
(1)Any reference in this Act to the term general mining laws is a reference to those Acts that
generally comprise chapters 2, 12A, and 16, and sections 161 and 162, of
title 30, United States Code.
(2)Any reference in this Act to the Act of July 23, 1955, is a reference to the Act entitled An Act to amend the Act of July 31, 1947 (61 Stat. 681) and the mining laws to provide for multiple
use of the surface of the same tracts of the public lands, and for other
purposes
(30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).
(d)Except as otherwise expressly provided, any reference to this Act
contained in this section, section 3, or titles I through V shall be treated as referring only to
the provisions of this section, section 3, and titles I through V.
3.
(a)This Act applies to any mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim located under the
general mining laws, before, on, or after the date of enactment of this
Act, except as provided in subsection (b).
(b)
(1)Any unpatented mining claim or millsite claim located under the general mining laws before the date
of enactment of this Act for which a plan of operation has not been
approved or a notice filed prior to the date of enactment shall, upon the
effective date of this Act, be subject to the requirements of this Act,
except as provided in paragraph (2).
(2)
(A)If a plan of operations is approved for mineral activities on any claim or site referred to in
paragraph (1) prior to the date of enactment of this Act but such
operations have not commenced prior to the date of enactment of this Act—
(i)during the 10-year period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, mineral activities at
such claim or site shall be subject to such plan of operations;
(ii)during such 10-year period, modifications of any such plan may be made in accordance with the
provisions of law applicable prior to the enactment of this Act if such
modifications are deemed minor by the Secretary concerned; and
(iii)the operator shall bring such mineral activities into compliance with this Act by the end of such
10-year period.
(B)Where an application for modification of a plan of operations referred to in subparagraph (A)(ii)
has been timely submitted and an approved plan expires prior to
Secretarial action on the application, mineral activities and reclamation
may continue in accordance with the terms of the expired plan until the
Secretary makes an administrative decision on the application.
(c)Federal Lands Subject to Existing Permit
(1)Any Federal land shall be subject to the requirements of section 102(a)(2) if the land is—
(A)subject to an operations permit; and
(B)producing valuable locatable minerals in commercial quantities prior to the date of enactment of
this Act.
(2)Any Federal land added through a plan modification to an operations permit on Federal land that is
submitted after the date of enactment of this Act shall be subject to the
terms of section 102(a)(3).
(d)Application of Act to beneficiation and processing of non-Federal minerals on Federal landsThe provisions of this Act (including the environmental protection requirements of title III) shall
apply in the same manner and to the same extent to mining claims, millsite
claims, and tunnel site claims used for beneficiation or processing
activities for any mineral without regard to whether or not the legal and
beneficial title to the mineral is held by the United States. This
subsection applies only to minerals that are locatable minerals or
minerals that would be locatable minerals if the legal and beneficial
title to such minerals were held by the United States.
<enum>I</enum><header>Mineral exploration and development</header>
<section id="HF524FDC68E18451EAF613BD4A644087E"><enum>101.</enum><header>Limitation on patents</header>
<subsection id="HD949194034B34644AA391BB3362C09E6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Mining claims</header>
<paragraph id="H0F2707DC0A4B40BA86C503C970614724"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Determinations required</header><text>After the date of enactment of this Act, no patent shall be issued by the United States for any
mining claim located under the general mining laws unless the Secretary
determines that, for the claim concerned—</text>
<subparagraph id="H6ECBEBCB1A75419192F2B82209EAB981"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a patent application was filed with the Secretary on or before September 30, 1994; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H060828CC3947489EB63CFDEFA958D07A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>all requirements established under sections 2325 and 2326 of the Revised Statutes (30 U.S.C. 29 and
30) for vein or lode claims and sections 2329, 2330, 2331, and 2333 of the
Revised Statutes (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/35">30 U.S.C. 35</external-xref>, 36, and 37) for placer claims were fully
complied with by that date.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC05F687172E1413595766D96FEE489B6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Right to patent</header><text>If the Secretary makes the determinations referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1)
for any mining claim, the holder of the claim shall be entitled to the
issuance of a patent in the same manner and degree to which such claim
holder would have been entitled to prior to the enactment of this Act,
unless and until such determinations are withdrawn or invalidated by the
Secretary or by a court of the United States.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE8098B2B64A74499BB643A52DEA1C202"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Millsite claims</header>
<paragraph id="H35FA941D751045A0A60EB54D80A0683E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Determinations required</header><text>After the date of enactment of this Act, no patent shall be issued by the United States for any
millsite claim located under the general mining laws unless the Secretary
determines that for the millsite concerned—</text>
<subparagraph id="HFB9E1B0AD98E40F09C78FDBD68CDC009"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a patent application for such land was filed with the Secretary on or before September 30, 1994;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA73B16FBF44F4752A9A192E7B32EBD57"><enum>(B)</enum><text>all requirements applicable to such patent application were fully complied with by that date.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H44B7732226774070B65C69254103F1FE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Right to patent</header><text>If the Secretary makes the determinations referred to in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1)
for any millsite claim, the holder of the claim shall be entitled to the
issuance of a patent in the same manner and degree to which such claim
holder would have been entitled to prior to the enactment of this Act,
unless and until such determinations are withdrawn or invalidated by the
Secretary or by a court of the United States.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HB2179A3388D24D29AB6E70C54075A992"><enum>102.</enum><header>Royalty</header>
<subsection id="H549FB8FC0BB44F03B1E9A8AD95DA7C8E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Reservation of royalty</header>
<paragraph id="HDF23A9D8996645F7B6D7AEA2AD9CCF4D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in paragraph (2) and subject to paragraph (3), production of all locatable
minerals from any mining claim located under the general mining laws and
maintained in compliance with this Act, or mineral concentrates or
products derived from locatable minerals from any such mining claim, as
the case may be, shall be subject to a royalty of 8 percent of the gross
income from mining. The claim holder or any operator to whom the claim
holder has assigned the obligation to make royalty payments under the
claim and any person who controls such claim holder or operator shall be
liable for payment of such royalties.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD655B1E241A745D296B7195D027F3247"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Royalty for Federal lands subject to existing permit</header><text>The royalty under paragraph (1) shall be 4 percent in the case of any Federal land that—</text>
<subparagraph id="H529CA009A42B4CD4BDC33228F123CC0C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is subject to an operations permit on the date of the enactment of this Act; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3E18A7124F8A44F281EE2A962B3F10C1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>produces valuable locatable minerals in commercial quantities on the date of enactment of this Act.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB4742E393EC14814925332CA9118EE9B"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Federal land added to existing operations permit</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any Federal land added through a plan modification to an operations permit that is submitted after
the date of enactment of this Act shall be subject to the royalty that
applies to Federal land under paragraph (1).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC5E54285DD7D4D829FCFBA02BE567F16"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Deposit</header><text>Amounts received by the United States as royalties under this subsection shall be deposited into
the account established under section 401.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H140B6EEB7FC4439EA6CDD0B2194333D8"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Limitation on application</header>
<subparagraph id="HFFB790356BCC4E668A1B8F5DAB40CA5C"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Any royalty under this subsection shall not apply for a person for any tax year for which the
person certifies to the Secretary in writing that the person and all
related parties with respect to such person, in the aggregate, had annual
gross income from mineral production in an amount less than $100,000.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2296F511B8F74CEA8DE27C4EBC1F0FC5"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Aggregation of income</header><text>The dollar amount in subparagraph (A) shall be applied, for a person, to the aggregate of all
annual gross income from mineral production under all mining claims held
by or assigned to such person or any related parties with respect to such
person, including mining claims located or for which a patent was issued
before the date of the enactment of this Act.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5D9989F6A16A4E17818CDA09B570A6A3"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Related parties defined</header><text>For the purposes of this paragraph, the term <term>related parties</term> means, with respect to a person—</text>
<clause id="HEA57B526B4EA456B8FA69011F846E812"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the spouse and all dependents (as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/152">section 152</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26
U.S.C. 152)) of the person; or</text>
</clause><clause id="HBC8E2DF1225345CD95A0DBE616FC58CE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>another person who is affiliated with the person, including—</text>
<subclause id="H1BAE15F755944EBDB5C9AF5018DC0465"><enum>(I)</enum><text>another person controlled by, controlling, or under common control with the person; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H2CD7A827E22540A0A5B1DB768C06C1AD"><enum>(II)</enum><text>a subsidiary or parent company or corporation of the person.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFC6E3A6B23DF47F586682F73F03F6C6E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Duties of claim holders, operators, and transporters</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H316B900C3C6944B888F0C011F766270A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A person—</text>
<subparagraph id="H2FD7BFDACA354BC0B049A1CFCBA494D9" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>who is required to make any royalty payment under this section shall make such payments to the
United States at such times and in such manner as the Secretary may by
rule prescribe; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDEC7631AD4654D15805DDF85ABBB54CD" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall notify the Secretary, in the time and manner as may be specified by the Secretary, of any
assignment that such person may have made of the obligation to make any
royalty or other payment under a mining claim.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCC58ED3B24F845DF914C7C48AA5BFF08" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Any person paying royalties under this section shall file a written instrument, together with the
first royalty payment, affirming that such person is responsible for
making proper payments for all amounts due for all time periods for which
such person has a payment responsibility. Such responsibility for the
periods referred to in the preceding sentence shall include any and all
additional amounts billed by the Secretary and determined to be due by
final agency or judicial action. Any person liable for royalty payments
under this section who assigns any payment obligation shall remain jointly
and severally liable for all royalty payments due for the claim for the
period.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H5A1A587B5C6345A1AEAB318FB26D2538" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A person conducting mineral activities shall—</text>
<subparagraph id="H8E5804BC699940158AE4DB70817BA3DB"><enum>(A)</enum><text>develop and comply with the site security provisions in the operations permit designed to protect
from theft the locatable minerals, concentrates or products derived
therefrom which are produced or stored on a mining claim, and such
provisions shall conform with such minimum standards as the Secretary may
prescribe by rule, taking into account the variety of circumstances on
mining claims; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB655C00E0B174056974D1817FE18B20A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>not later than the 5th business day after production begins anywhere on a mining claim, or
production resumes after more than 90 days after production was suspended,
notify the Secretary, in the manner prescribed by the Secretary, of the
date on which such production has begun or resumed.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD5778F30BFD34380A397317E1FB25003" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Secretary may by rule require any person engaged in transporting a locatable mineral,
concentrate, or product derived therefrom to carry on his or her person,
in his or her vehicle, or in his or her immediate control, documentation
showing, at a minimum, the amount, origin, and intended destination of the
locatable mineral, concentrate, or product derived therefrom in such
circumstances as the Secretary determines is appropriate.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1EDD47E32D524A13867F77B5D7CD2FD2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Recordkeeping and reporting requirements</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H2F66877E4E9544E0B953DDD2EBDFD7CE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A claim holder, operator, or other person directly involved in developing, producing, processing,
transporting, purchasing, or selling locatable minerals, concentrates, or
products derived therefrom, subject to this Act, through the point of
royalty computation shall establish and maintain any records, make any
reports, and provide any information that the Secretary may reasonably
require for the purposes of implementing this section or determining
compliance with rules or orders under this section. Such records shall
include, but not be limited to, periodic reports, records, documents, and
other data. Such reports may also include, but not be limited to,
pertinent technical and financial data relating to the quantity, quality,
composition volume, weight, and assay of all minerals extracted from the
mining claim. Upon the request of any officer or employee duly designated
by the Secretary conducting an audit or investigation pursuant to this
section, the appropriate records, reports, or information that may be
required by this section shall be made available for inspection and
duplication by such officer or employee. Failure by a claim holder,
operator, or other person referred to in the first sentence to cooperate
with such an audit, provide data required by the Secretary, or grant
access to information may, at the discretion of the Secretary, result in
involuntary forfeiture of the claim.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4EA65288FFB14B50B0686A92A949607B" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Records required by the Secretary under this section shall be maintained for 7 years after release
of financial assurance under section 306 unless the Secretary notifies the
operator that the Secretary has initiated an audit or investigation
involving such records and that such records must be maintained for a
longer period. In any case when an audit or investigation is underway,
records shall be maintained until the Secretary releases the operator of
the obligation to maintain such records.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H55890F769C5846A4B2F8FD84E16E9106"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Audits</header><text>The Secretary is authorized to conduct such audits of all claim holders, operators, transporters,
purchasers, processors, or other persons directly or indirectly involved
in the production or sales of minerals covered by this Act, as the
Secretary deems necessary for the purposes of ensuring compliance with the
requirements of this section. For purposes of performing such audits, the
Secretary shall, at reasonable times and upon request, have access to, and
may copy, all books, papers and other documents that relate to compliance
with any provision of this section by any person.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA1A21288C14649D38545E4C1E45F3563"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Cooperative agreements</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HBA14403F994A415B90557DAA7996C1CF"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary is authorized to enter into cooperative agreements with the Secretary of Agriculture
to share information concerning the royalty management of locatable
minerals, concentrates, or products derived therefrom, to carry out
inspection, auditing, investigation, or enforcement (not including the
collection of royalties, civil or criminal penalties, or other payments)
activities under this section in cooperation with the Secretary, and to
carry out any other activity described in this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCC8CF21BC98548A59F062636000BC447" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Except as provided in paragraph (3)(A) of this subsection (relating to trade secrets), and pursuant
to a cooperative agreement, the Secretary of Agriculture shall, upon
request, have access to all royalty accounting information in the
possession of the Secretary respecting the production, removal, or sale of
locatable minerals, concentrates, or products derived therefrom from
claims on lands open to location under this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFD9B65E7717A40FB975DE265940D346A" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Trade secrets, proprietary, and other confidential information protected from disclosure under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/552">section 552</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, popularly known as the Freedom
of Information Act, shall be made available by the Secretary to other
Federal agencies as necessary to assure compliance with this Act and other
Federal laws. The Secretary, the Secretary of Agriculture, the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, and other Federal
officials shall ensure that such information is provided protection in
accordance with the requirements of that section.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HECE0014862EE4CD8858D8C0FA12EDAF7"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Interest and substantial underreporting assessments</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H6F938BC559604A309A5A904576DE6A32"><enum>(1)</enum><text>In the case of mining claims where royalty payments are not received by the Secretary on the date
that such payments are due, the Secretary shall charge interest on such
underpayments at the same interest rate as the rate applicable under
<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/6621">section 6621(a)(2)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. In the case of an
underpayment, interest shall be computed and charged only on the amount of
the deficiency and not on the total amount.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H989B9F44BA554A47B3C22B69717A14D8" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>If there is any underreporting of royalty owed on production from a claim for any production month
by any person liable for royalty payments under this section, the
Secretary shall assess a penalty of not greater than 25 percent of the
amount of that underreporting.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3E7204F8EB0C4C3C997A70D74650C557" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>For the purposes of this subsection, the term <term>underreporting</term> means the difference between the royalty on the value of the production that should have been
reported and the royalty on the value of the production which was
reported, if the value that should have been reported is greater than the
value that was reported.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF5736068A8A54B769843B2446DA3A55A" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The Secretary may waive or reduce the assessment provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection if
the person liable for royalty payments under this section corrects the
underreporting before the date such person receives notice from the
Secretary that an underreporting may have occurred, or before 90 days
after the date of the enactment of this section, whichever is later.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1FFDE4E66E864D49AF46A74E226BDA7D" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The Secretary shall waive any portion of an assessment under paragraph (2) of this subsection
attributable to that portion of the underreporting for which the person
responsible for paying the royalty demonstrates that—</text>
<subparagraph id="H1FCC47D652B54D6C8160C6435F786053"><enum>(A)</enum><text>such person had written authorization from the Secretary to report royalty on the value of the
production on the basis on which it was reported;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA1E704653665441D91313498F2EADF93"><enum>(B)</enum><text>such person had substantial authority for reporting royalty on the value of the production on the
basis on which it was reported;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H69F301B4C25C4435A72C094B1900FF70"><enum>(C)</enum><text>such person previously had notified the Secretary, in such manner as the Secretary may by rule
prescribe, of relevant reasons or facts affecting the royalty treatment of
specific production which led to the underreporting; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE3D858439F924986B5AEB8483C629DE9"><enum>(D)</enum><text>such person meets any other exception which the Secretary may, by rule, establish.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H4B2D0530C1C74E7AA6AD6F0A217A46FB" indent="up1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>All penalties collected under this subsection shall be deposited in the Locatable Minerals Fund
established under title IV.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H5B95A25A548D40D49C02228FAC913439"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Delegation</header><text>For the purposes of this section, the term <term>Secretary</term> means the Secretary of the Interior acting through the Director of the Minerals Management
Service.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H284EE0DF68884392888B641643D0FF51"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Expanded royalty obligations</header><text>Each person liable for royalty payments under this section shall be jointly and severally liable
for royalty on all locatable minerals, concentrates, or products derived
therefrom lost or wasted from a mining claim located under the general
mining laws and maintained in compliance with this Act when such loss or
waste is due to negligence on the part of any person or due to the failure
to comply with any rule, regulation, or order issued under this section.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF1415FFE6E4040779303901B930BADF8"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Gross income from mining defined</header><text>For the purposes of this section, for any locatable mineral, the term <term>gross income from mining</term> has the same meaning as the term <term>gross income</term> in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/613">section 613(c)</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA6424C229AFF439B9317D00CD2EAD23E"><enum>(j)</enum><header>Effective date</header><text>The royalty under this section shall take effect with respect to the production of locatable
minerals after the enactment of this Act, but any royalty payments
attributable to production during the first 12 calendar months after the
enactment of this Act shall be payable at the expiration of such 12-month
period.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H28A690BF59374CC3B1123449CC0CB36D"><enum>(k)</enum><header>Failure To comply with royalty requirements</header><text>Any person who fails to comply with the requirements of this section or any regulation or order
issued to implement this section shall be liable for a civil penalty under
section 109 of the Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management Act (30 U.S.C.
1719) to the same extent as if the claim located under the general mining
laws and maintained in compliance with this Act were a lease under that
Act.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HA2713873F165478A887F28063644F120"><enum>103.</enum><header>Hardrock mining claim maintenance fee</header>
<subsection id="H5A03C6E220D940AFA482F4ADD08C1A08"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Fee</header>
<paragraph id="HCC5C9A3418EB4624A86EB8F7FB8CBF45"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Except as provided in section 2511(e)(2) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (relating to oil shale
claims), for each unpatented mining claim, mill or tunnel site on
federally owned lands, whether located before, on, or after enactment of
this Act, each claimant shall pay to the Secretary, on or before August 31
of each year, a claim maintenance fee of $200 per claim to hold such
unpatented mining claim, mill or tunnel site for the assessment year
beginning at noon on the next day, September 1. Such claim maintenance fee
shall be in lieu of the assessment work requirement contained in the
Mining Law of 1872 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/28">30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.</external-xref>) and the related filing
requirements contained in section 314 (a) and (c) of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1744 (a) and (c)).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3D0A1BC153DB4F5E9E94CC502B481479"><enum>(2)</enum>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HB48CE111F5C5453ABB50F4571A95A7A9"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The claim maintenance fee required under this subsection shall be waived for a claimant who
certifies in writing to the Secretary that on the date the payment was
due, the claimant and all related parties—</text>
<clause id="HB2A6C14E36914C4CAE58A35EFF3761DF" indent="up1"><enum>(i)</enum><text>held not more than 10 mining claims, mill sites, or tunnel sites, or any combination thereof, on
public lands; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H24C767B3C4D646599A316B36B12DD624" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>have performed assessment work required under the Mining Law of 1872 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/28">30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.</external-xref>) to
maintain the mining claims held by the claimant and such related parties
for the assessment year ending on noon of September 1 of the calendar year
in which payment of the claim maintenance fee was due.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD7A29A27C1AB43F6B15E672FBB31EC59" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>For purposes of subparagraph (A), with respect to any claimant, the term <term>all related parties</term> means—</text>
<clause id="HA0E308F1107F414B92F710DE0A69CF44"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the spouse and dependent children (as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/152">section 152</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986),
of the claimant; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H74FCF11F20A441F68A6EE2EB501FB00C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a person affiliated with the claimant, including—</text>
<subclause id="H4A61F6D592FF4AD6BFB4D354C4A72A1F"><enum>(I)</enum><text>a person controlled by, controlling, or under common control with the claimant; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H9F7AC4D61B2C416493B4FF89EAA73528"><enum>(II)</enum><text>a subsidiary or parent company or corporation of the claimant.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H876D0F87D3CB415CA75397720198EF1F"><enum>(3)</enum>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HCFB9EE9A7AF345EDB0985C91216AFC02"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The Secretary shall adjust the fees required by this subsection to reflect changes in the Consumer
Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department
of Labor every 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, or more
frequently if the Secretary determines an adjustment to be reasonable.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H650FCB8E750247CC821C36C7CAF1A3AD" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Secretary shall provide claimants notice of any adjustment made under this paragraph not later
than July 1 of any year in which the adjustment is made.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H409F002EE32E4940B0F228E79443E25F" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A fee adjustment under this paragraph shall begin to apply the calendar year following the calendar
year in which it is made.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H12DF88B020544F42BE8D77FE8B141F43"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Moneys received under this subsection that are not otherwise allocated for the administration of
the mining laws by the Department of the Interior shall be deposited in
the Locatable Minerals Fund established by this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H54661EA487D34AC0BFE519E181E72699"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Location</header>
<paragraph id="H4BD5211A2D02404DAA490B36823C8EC2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Notwithstanding any provision of law, for every unpatented mining claim, mill or tunnel site
located after the date of enactment of this Act and before September 30,
1998, the locator shall, at the time the location notice is recorded with
the Bureau of Land Management, pay to the Secretary a location fee, in
addition to the fee required by subsection (a) of $50 per claim.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2416F8EAA83C48ACBAA10063A1BCA224"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Moneys received under this subsection that are not otherwise allocated for the administration of
the mining laws by the Department of the Interior shall be deposited in
the Locatable Minerals Fund established by this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H630D81FECD1044C7AF70AAEAB54D6A47"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Co-Ownership</header><text>The co-ownership provisions of the Mining Law of 1872 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/28">30 U.S.C. 28 et seq.</external-xref>) will remain in effect
except that the annual claim maintenance fee, where applicable, shall
replace applicable assessment requirements and expenditures.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H67EAD27643FE4E0FA474506DAFFA3F98"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Failure To pay</header><text>Failure to pay the claim maintenance fee as required by subsection (a) shall conclusively
constitute a forfeiture of the unpatented mining claim, mill or tunnel
site by the claimant and the claim shall be deemed null and void by
operation of law.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H857B1AD056E5493089CCBAF269CE3D60"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Other requirements</header>
<paragraph id="HF4B754035A25434F89D0B1549D400231"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Nothing in this section shall change or modify the requirements of section 314(b) of the Federal
Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1744">43 U.S.C. 1744(b)</external-xref>), or the
requirements of section 314(c) of the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1744">43 U.S.C. 1744(c)</external-xref>) related to filings required by section
314(b), which remain in effect.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H36DC07EFED804C3D850B4EB727AB65D9"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Section 2324 of the Revised Statutes of the United States (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/28">30 U.S.C. 28</external-xref>) is amended by inserting <quote>or section 103(a) of the <short-title>Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014</short-title></quote> after <quote>Act of 1993</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H5235180285374C9883AA702DFC7D85AE" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>104.</enum><header>Effect of payments for use and occupancy of claims</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Timely payment of the claim maintenance fee required by section 103 of this Act or any related law
relating to the use of Federal land, asserts the claimant’s authority to
use and occupy the Federal land concerned for prospecting and exploration,
consistent with the requirements of this Act and other applicable law.</text>
</section><enum>II</enum><header>Protection of special places</header>
<section id="HCFCEB43A83DE41D5BF249AED798601A4"><enum>201.</enum><header>Lands open to location</header>
<subsection id="HBC5126EE8479425ABDBDECD6439B6525"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Lands open to location</header><text>Except as provided in subsection (b), mining claims may be located under the general mining laws
only on such lands and interests as were open to the location of mining
claims under the general mining laws immediately before the enactment of
this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HD70281B347C64C8E9C498EFC7F4EAC51"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Lands not open to location</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law and subject to valid existing rights, each of the
following shall not be open to the location of mining claims under the
general mining laws on or after the date of enactment of this Act:</text>
<paragraph id="H701FA043FC0E4893B0A0A1C52143B2D9"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Wilderness study areas.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H196FED605D0541E79ACDA4D729A17C7A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Areas of critical environmental concern.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8500433D647B4F5E870C9905806C5A2B"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Areas designated for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System pursuant to the Wild
and Scenic Rivers Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1271">16 U.S.C. 1271 et seq.</external-xref>), areas designated for
potential addition to such system pursuant to section 5(a) of that Act (16
U.S.C. 1276(a)), and areas determined to be eligible for inclusion in such
system pursuant to section 5(d) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1276">16 U.S.C. 1276(d)</external-xref>).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4B2467A69AAA4EB7B77B0CC5CA29CE55"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Any area identified in the set of inventoried roadless areas maps contained in the Forest Service
Roadless Area Conservation Final Environmental Impact Statement, Volume 2,
dated November 2000.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4841AFCAC64B45DDB3FDB6D2AC868A09"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Existing authority not affected</header><text>Nothing in this Act limits the authority granted the Secretary in section 204 of the Federal Land
Policy and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1714">43 U.S.C. 1714</external-xref>) to withdraw public
lands.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HB9639C0EC48C4CD8A1BA2C08D7A60EF2"><enum>202.</enum><header>Withdrawal petitions by States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes</header>
<subsection id="H1DDECCD9EEA04D5B991C079C18C3861D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to valid existing rights, any State or political subdivision of a State or an Indian tribe
may submit a petition to the Secretary for the withdrawal of a specific
tract of Federal land from the operation of the general mining laws, in
order to protect specific values identified in the petition that are
important to the State or political subdivision or Indian tribe. Such
values may include the value of a watershed to supply drinking water,
wildlife habitat value, cultural or historic resources, or value for
scenic vistas important to the local economy, and other similar values. In
the case of an Indian tribe, the petition may also identify religious or
cultural values that are important to the Indian tribe. The petition shall
contain the information required by section 204 of the Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1714">43 U.S.C. 1714</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H0078FD2B82CD45C1ABDB065B42BEC2B3"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Consideration of petition</header><text>The Secretary—</text>
<paragraph id="H0324C2C0877D446E920363FF0D8ABFE3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall solicit public comment on the petition;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H74ED02A171D64F4685BB1BC899165F79"><enum>(2)</enum><text>shall make a final decision on the petition within 180 days after receiving it; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBE0387EBAC7546C4ADC10BD9E4651880"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">shall grant the petition subject to valid existing rights, unless the Secretary makes and publishes
in the Federal Register specific findings why a decision to grant the
petition would be against the national interest.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Environmental Considerations of Mineral Exploration and Development</header>
<section id="H1BFCB063968C4314B451280351B4F667"><enum>301.</enum><header>General standard for hardrock mining on Federal land</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Notwithstanding section 302(b) of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C.
1732(b)), the first section of the Act of June 4, 1897 (chapter 2; 30
Stat. 36; <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/478">16 U.S.C. 478</external-xref>), and the National Forest Management Act of 1976
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/1600">16 U.S.C. 1600 et seq.</external-xref>), and in accordance with this title and applicable
law, unless expressly stated otherwise in this Act, the Secretary—</text>
<paragraph id="H7503A0C3AC964F6EA9810B0ADB67C1BC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall ensure that mineral activities on any Federal land that is subject to a mining claim,
millsite claim, or tunnel site claim is carefully controlled to prevent
undue degradation of public lands and resources; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3B21556FA584410EB570AA6498A8AAF1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>shall not grant permission to engage in mineral activities if the Secretary, after considering the
evidence, makes and publishes in the Federal Register a determination that
undue degradation would result from such activities.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H94BA9A071DD04512B4987E843376CF43"><enum>302.</enum><header>Permits</header>
<subsection id="H9FC96719CB60422AA32050D6E6F8EB03"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Permits required</header><text>No person may engage in mineral activities on Federal land that may cause a disturbance of surface
resources, including but not limited to land, air, ground water and
surface water, and fish and wildlife, unless—</text>
<paragraph id="H63D5DA2AB2724B94A46E78426656AB5B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the claim was properly located under the general mining laws and maintained in compliance with such
laws and this Act; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF048422D7050448EB7F96A36A22DE90F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>a permit was issued to such person under this title authorizing such activities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H4D13B02DD3C447A9A72DAAAD737D7207"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Negligible disturbance</header><text>Notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), a permit under this title shall not be required for mineral
activities that are a casual use of the Federal land.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H6807960A87E64A31B121C101B3B3E446"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Coordination with NEPA process</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">To the extent practicable, the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture shall conduct the permit
processes under this Act in coordination with the timing and other
requirements under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of
1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4332">42 U.S.C. 4332</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HC9839646915347409AAF7CD0E8FE020D"><enum>303.</enum><header>Exploration permit</header>
<subsection id="H0D6A1F6973864F36AAB9ED3D00E6D47D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorized exploration activity</header><text>Any claim holder may apply for an exploration permit for any mining claim authorizing the claim
holder to remove a reasonable amount of the locatable minerals from the
claim for analysis, study and testing. Such permit shall not authorize the
claim holder to remove any mineral for sale nor to conduct any activities
other than those required for exploration for locatable minerals and
reclamation.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HAFB900FD1ACB42199D1A102E40B57265"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Permit Application requirements</header><text>An application for an exploration permit under this section shall be submitted in a manner
satisfactory to the Secretary or, for National Forest System lands, the
Secretary of Agriculture, and shall contain an exploration plan, a
reclamation plan for the proposed exploration, and such documentation as
necessary to ensure compliance with applicable Federal and State
environmental laws and regulations.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H36881787EEF9421D9DDBEC25F545341F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Reclamation plan requirements</header><text>The reclamation plan required to be included in a permit application under subsection (b) shall
include such provisions as may be jointly prescribed by the Secretary and
the Secretary of Agriculture.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H28B5F5F79D3F41868AE7890BBC196EC1"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Permit issuance or denial</header><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall issue an
exploration permit pursuant to an application under this section unless
such Secretary makes any of the following determinations:</text>
<paragraph id="H23F80DACDFA047B58A9B95560BCF78A4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The permit application, the exploration plan and reclamation plan are not complete and accurate.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H16E2273F750147798D5AE8F747D3CA6B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The applicant has not demonstrated that proposed reclamation can be accomplished.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2BC49E6B52094A359BB7E1DA8994B2D6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The proposed exploration activities and condition of the land after the completion of exploration
activities and final reclamation would not conform with the land use plan
applicable to the area subject to mineral activities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4E5FBF6F4F4B41CCAEDB9B172CF5C70D"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The area subject to the proposed permit is included within an area not open to location under
section 201.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4FDA540EFCCB4F97990FF53CB5200AD3"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The applicant has not demonstrated that the exploration plan and reclamation plan will be in
compliance with the requirements of this Act and all other applicable
Federal requirements, and any State requirements agreed to by the
Secretary of the Interior (or Secretary of Agriculture, as appropriate).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H73EF07188DDB4AD98803863BEAA8CE94"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The applicant has not demonstrated that the requirements of section 306 (relating to financial
assurance) will be met.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H015DD8260E2545A7B7C0F28BBDB8A350"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The applicant is eligible to receive a permit under section 305.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H98B26C2779D34824BCB965E07FE3FF7A"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Term of permit</header><text>An exploration permit shall be for a stated term. The term shall be no greater than that necessary
to accomplish the proposed exploration, and in no case for more than 10
years.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H68E02D7367734C429F1E684391ABE947"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Permit modification</header><text>During the term of an exploration permit the permit holder may submit an application to modify the
permit. To approve a proposed modification to the permit, the Secretary
concerned shall make the same determinations as are required in the case
of an original permit, except that the Secretary and the Secretary of
Agriculture may specify by joint rule the extent to which requirements for
initial exploration permits under this section shall apply to applications
to modify an exploration permit based on whether such modifications are
deemed significant or minor.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H13298E1D5C6D40AB9F1764F77BE41A03"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Transfer, assignment, or sale of rights</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD0D8B11DB0CA434993124AE44E07EB8E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>No transfer, assignment, or sale of rights granted by a permit issued under this section shall be
made without the prior written approval of the Secretary, or for National
Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4D1067DE543346CD98FEC20EFC2D6099" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Such Secretary shall allow a person holding a permit to transfer, assign, or sell rights under the
permit to a successor, if the Secretary finds, in writing, that the
successor—</text>
<subparagraph id="H0F754EC7E80F410E90C27526938BF761"><enum>(A)</enum><text>is eligible to receive a permit in accordance with section 304(d);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H46858BF465FA45918D18130CD3C3C546"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has submitted evidence of financial assurance satisfactory under section 306; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6477BE47B22646AAA390CB325142C129"><enum>(C)</enum><text>meets any other requirements specified by the Secretary.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H56A5C88D1DA84AC0A03286EB05E274E0" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The successor in interest shall assume the liability and reclamation responsibilities established
by the existing permit and shall conduct the mineral activities in full
compliance with this Act, and the terms and conditions of the permit as in
effect at the time of transfer, assignment, or sale.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H66F559409AF94E4FBC0229EC89C3D2AE" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Each application for approval of a permit transfer, assignment, or sale pursuant to this subsection
shall be accompanied by a fee payable to the Secretary of the Interior in
such amount as may be established by such Secretary. Such amount shall be
equal to the actual or anticipated cost to the Secretary or the Secretary
of Agriculture, as appropriate, of reviewing and approving or disapproving
such transfer, assignment, or sale, as determined by the Secretary of the
Interior.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H8CC50F7E94894555B667BC408909D935"><enum>304.</enum><header>Operations permit</header>
<subsection id="H6E08D075EE2E41CFB2D63FF3F67EACBE"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Operations permit</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA3724FE20E2840EBAD6657519CCD260F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Any claim holder that is in compliance with the general mining laws and section 103 of this Act may
apply to the Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary
of Agriculture, for an operations permit authorizing the claim holder to
carry out mineral activities, other than casual use, on—</text>
<subparagraph id="HE24CDBCB77A94386ACE06DCBB5E8A517" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any valid mining claim, valid millsite claim, or valid tunnel site claim; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB52AE235E809438685DD220DE5AE00B3" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>such additional Federal land as the Secretary may determine is necessary to conduct the proposed
mineral activities, if the operator obtains a right-of-way permit for use
of such additional lands under title V of the Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/43/1761">43 U.S.C. 1761 et seq.</external-xref>) and agrees to pay all fees
required under that title for the permit under that title.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF97E06A4E21C407E83B3EE6482DEF627" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>If the Secretary decides to issue such permit, the permit shall include such terms and conditions
as prescribed by such Secretary to carry out this title.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9A56F62B226141A29C8610F062FC03C9"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Permit application requirements</header><text>An application for an operations permit under this section shall be submitted in a manner
satisfactory to the Secretary concerned and shall contain site
characterization data, an operations plan, a reclamation plan, monitoring
plans, long-term maintenance plans, to the extent necessary, and such
documentation as necessary to ensure compliance with applicable Federal
and State environmental laws and regulations. If the proposed mineral
activities will be carried out in conjunction with mineral activities on
adjacent non-Federal lands, information on the location and nature of such
operations may be required by the Secretary.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H368E411921914B28AB794305E13A3B7B"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Permit issuance or denial</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H957781D499D046F0A9178E896F5B08CC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>After providing for public participation pursuant to subsection (i), the Secretary, or for National
Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall issue an
operations permit if such Secretary makes each of the following
determinations in writing, and shall deny a permit if such Secretary finds
that the application and applicant do not fully meet the following
requirements:</text>
<subparagraph id="H549F4120540E4C678D218516A95D1F74" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>The permit application, including the site characterization data, operations plan, and reclamation
plan, are complete and accurate and sufficient for developing a good
understanding of the anticipated impacts of the mineral activities and the
effectiveness of proposed mitigation and control.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1B71C935ED5745DFAC36EF96248FB9D9" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The applicant has demonstrated that the proposed reclamation in the operation and reclamation plan
can be and is likely to be accomplished by the applicant and will not
cause undue degradation.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H70E75A975E004E86A713699116F43E96" indent="up1"><enum>(C)</enum><text>The condition of the land, including the fish and wildlife resources and habitat contained thereon,
after the completion of mineral activities and final reclamation, will
conform to the land use plan applicable to the area subject to mineral
activities and are returned to a productive use.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H68037019517E45F9BDE0AEA048E73918" indent="up1"><enum>(D)</enum><text>The area subject to the proposed plan is open to location for the types of mineral activities
proposed.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H3B86A45F27FF410FADD5BE12F0DC8DC2" indent="up1"><enum>(E)</enum><text>The proposed operation has been designed to prevent material damage to the hydrologic balance
outside the permit area.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H90A3C4934F084DDFA8A35F533A83538E" indent="up1"><enum>(F)</enum><text>The applicant will fully comply with the requirements of section 306 (relating to financial
assurance) prior to the initiation of operations.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H06296EDD4E3748BDB078A320AAD77E70" indent="up1"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Neither the applicant nor operator, nor any subsidiary, affiliate, or person controlled by or under
common control with the applicant or operator, is ineligible to receive a
permit under section 305.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H693E0C2843B84675AED014F831A9B15C" indent="up1"><enum>(H)</enum><text>The reclamation plan demonstrates that 10 years following mine closure, no treatment of surface or
ground water for carcinogens or toxins will be required to meet water
quality standards at the point of discharge.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H0EDADCAF86D74562A7F78EEF4B47D28B" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">With respect to any activities specified in the reclamation plan referred to in subsection (b) that
constitutes a removal or remedial action under section 101 of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9601">42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.</external-xref>), the Secretary shall consult with the
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency prior to the issuance
of an operations permit. The Administrator shall ensure that the
reclamation plan does not require activities that would increase the costs
or likelihood of removal or remedial actions under the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C.
9601 et seq.) or corrective actions under the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42
U.S.C. 6901 et seq.).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H0FE3B0648D8D422AB3DB7C6E7E8F3E57"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Term of permit; renewal</header>
<paragraph id="H39944455FFBB45419AF2D79E7EC57A52"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An operations permit—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF0098270C67F4975840692F7BE05BF3B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall be for a term that is no longer than the shorter of—</text>
<clause id="HF6654B19BD3A4E7491E563756BCD515C"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the period necessary to accomplish the proposed mineral activities subject to the permit; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HA2273A7FA62B47FCB9C8FCB4ABA2E9D7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>20 years; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCCD125D6A0FC49438A4FEDD07E0C5BEB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall be renewed for an additional 20-year period if the operation is in compliance with the
requirements of this Act and other applicable law.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H05C64D01620B4E998CF3455006237B22"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Failure by the operator to commence mineral activities within 2 years of the date scheduled in an
operations permit shall require a modification of the permit if the
Secretary concerned determines that modifications are necessary to comply
with section 201.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H13A33DB6CB7348B1B74DEE8CA2D3486C"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Permit modification</header>
<paragraph id="H7F5D18F8D89540DCA34AA1CDBFCD07FC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>During the term of an operations permit the operator may submit an application to modify the permit
(including the operations plan or reclamation plan, or both).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE149E560BA0944DE8EFEBE22695E0E2F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, may, at any
time,
require reasonable modification to any operations plan or reclamation plan
upon a determination that the requirements of this Act cannot be met if
the plan is followed as approved. Such determination shall be based on a
written finding and subject to public notice and hearing requirements
established by the Secretary concerned.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H959D56CEE9454F42B25892518707AE75"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A permit modification is required before changes are made to the approved plan of operations, or if
unanticipated events or conditions exist on the mine site, including in
the case of—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF95662F8503F4DAFB4E75A23A95EA73C"><enum>(A)</enum><text>development of acid or toxic drainage;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF4578BB75B3F4CC7A514FBDDB44E7324"><enum>(B)</enum><text>loss of springs or water supplies;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7CEA825F5B5E49FB8AE872353BC9D6D0"><enum>(C)</enum><text>water quantity, water quality, or other resulting water impacts that are significantly different
than those predicted in the application;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6E3995A884F64AC38C7B0D2FCAFD6AF0"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the need for long-term water treatment;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H466777CA65A04F94840BF5CD49411ACC"><enum>(E)</enum><text>significant reclamation difficulties or reclamation failure;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6E40BDFDEF224E3B9976106DDE0422BA"><enum>(F)</enum><text>the discovery of significant scientific, cultural, or biological resources that were not addressed
in the original plan; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H765EAA72EF494537BD7C6EB9A587A32F"><enum>(G)</enum><text>the discovery of hazards to public safety.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HCD3540C4109A48CAAEDA5D7F3E5C1828"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Temporary cessation of operations</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD4405429A89249BC844C9675BE99C46E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>An operator conducting mineral activities under an operations permit in effect under this title may
not temporarily cease mineral activities for a period greater than 180
days unless the Secretary concerned has approved such temporary cessation
or unless the temporary cessation is permitted under the original permit.
Any operator temporarily ceasing mineral activities for a period greater
than 90 days under an operations permit issued before the date of the
enactment of this Act shall submit, before the expiration of such 90-day
period, a complete application for temporary cessation of operations to
the Secretary concerned for approval unless the temporary cessation is
permitted under the original permit.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H678B5045F2074FC780D13CF3E5A40F4C" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An application for approval of temporary cessation of operations shall include such information
required under subsection (b) and any other provisions prescribed by the
Secretary concerned to minimize impacts on the environment. After receipt
of a complete application for temporary cessation of operations such
Secretary shall conduct an inspection of the area for which temporary
cessation of operations has been requested.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H50C267BADC5C4D3EBD2A9B59DE1C9AB0" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>To approve an application for temporary cessation of operations, the Secretary concerned shall make
each of the following determinations:</text>
<subparagraph id="H61ADDDA73FF74844B691E7B83D41D55B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A determination that the methods for securing surface facilities and restricting access to the
permit area, or relevant portions thereof, will effectively ensure against
hazards to the health and safety of the public and fish and wildlife.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB52124F6C59A416687A042A99363868F"><enum>(B)</enum><text>A determination that reclamation is in compliance with the approved reclamation plan, except in
those areas specifically designated in the application for temporary
cessation of operations for which a delay in meeting such standards is
necessary to facilitate the resumption of operations.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H98BE5E33BBD249F18218836E3037E986"><enum>(C)</enum><text>A determination that the amount of financial assurance filed with the permit application is
sufficient to assure completion of the reclamation activities identified
in the approved reclamation plan in the event of forfeiture.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8A2887A05F06405CA967F1C87E3A3B0C"><enum>(D)</enum><text>A determination that any outstanding notices of violation and cessation orders incurred in
connection with the plan for which temporary cessation is being requested
are either stayed pursuant to an administrative or judicial appeal
proceeding or are in the process of being abated to the satisfaction of
the Secretary concerned.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HD75BA319FE0F4236BEB28F51DEC208D3"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Permit reviews</header><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall review each
permit issued under this section every 10 years during the term of such
permit, shall provide public notice of the permit review, and, based upon
a written finding, such Secretary shall require the operator to take such
actions as the Secretary deems necessary to assure that mineral activities
conform to the permit, including adjustment of financial assurance
requirements.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB4D02DD6ED4240D4B432BA096211A3E4"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Transfer, assignment, or sale of rights</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H9234D0424DC24FF487B990C17411920F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>No transfer, assignment, or sale of rights granted by a permit under this section shall be made
without the prior written approval of the Secretary, or for National
Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H974A8C39C1A843ABA0CC602C403EB939" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, may allow a
person holding a permit to transfer, assign, or sell rights under the
permit to a successor, if such Secretary finds, in writing, that the
successor—</text>
<subparagraph id="H435C0C3B4022414291AC2E580AC54CA4"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has submitted information required and is eligible to receive a permit in accordance with section
305;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H122615E9AC67456C824D7BCBE59AFBD3"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has submitted evidence of financial assurance satisfactory under section 306; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB884D60145C84DDCA5DE3590FB6253C6"><enum>(C)</enum><text>meets any other requirements specified by such Secretary.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H7BC730AF22E4471284C5FB2690D827B0" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The successor in interest shall assume the liability and reclamation responsibilities established
by the existing permit and shall conduct the mineral activities in full
compliance with this Act, and the terms and conditions of the permit as in
effect at the time of transfer, assignment, or sale.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H303DDC7F14794280AF2690FDFAB50057" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Each application for approval of a permit transfer, assignment, or sale pursuant to this subsection
shall be accompanied by a fee payable to the Secretary of the Interior, or
for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, in such
amount as may be established by such Secretary, or for National Forest
System lands, by the Secretary of Agriculture. Such amount shall be equal
to the actual or anticipated cost to the Secretary or, for National Forest
System lands, to the Secretary of Agriculture, of reviewing and approving
or disapproving such transfer, assignment, or sale, as determined by such
Secretary.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1D7FF03A2CE94827BCCFB4FA0236DEEC"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Public participation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly promulgate regulations
to ensure transparency and public participation in permit decisions
required under this Act, consistent with any requirements that apply to
such decisions under section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/4332">42 U.S.C. 4332</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HB1D8A67A2A0D43DE95B3842A3942A390"><enum>305.</enum><header>Persons ineligible for permits</header>
<subsection id="HE07A1835AE764890ADF0809DE56D7103"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Current violations</header><text>Unless corrective action has been taken in accordance with subsection (c), no permit under this
title shall be issued or transferred to an applicant if the applicant or
any agent of the applicant, the operator (if different than the applicant)
of the claim concerned, any claim holder (if different than the applicant)
of the claim concerned, or any affiliate or officer or director of the
applicant is currently in violation of any of the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H62C9F46285FB42AE904CF231D4C1DD49"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A provision of this Act or any regulation under this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H103D341E26F74A1C967C923BAF4EA688"><enum>(2)</enum><text>An applicable State or Federal toxic substance, solid waste, air, water quality, or fish and
wildlife conservation law or regulation at any site where mining,
beneficiation, or processing activities are occurring or have occurred.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6218A65D56EB4A62BB79E5634A621840"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1201">30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.</external-xref>) or any regulation
implementing that Act at any site where surface coal mining operations
have occurred or are occurring.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H608390EEEA35448B9F33B5DC037C1077"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Suspension</header><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall suspend an
operations permit, in whole or in part, if such Secretary determines that
any of the entities described in subsection (a) were in violation of any
requirement listed in subsection (a) at the time the permit was issued.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H0BC22201CE414E4A91DE0650CCA0F238"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Correction</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HC49ED5D071274F7A8BC08BC79BCD07AD"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, may issue or
reinstate a permit under this title if the applicant submits proof that
the violation referred to in subsection (a) or (b) has been corrected or
is in the process of being corrected to the satisfaction of such Secretary
and the regulatory authority involved or if the applicant submits proof
that the violator has filed and is presently pursuing, a direct
administrative or judicial appeal to contest the existence of the
violation. For purposes of this section, an appeal of any applicant’s
relationship to an affiliate shall not constitute a direct administrative
or judicial appeal to contest the existence of the violation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA10A27F5571A4092B40451422E518B4D" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Any permit which is issued or reinstated based upon proof submitted under this subsection shall be
conditionally approved or conditionally reinstated, as the case may be. If
the violation is not successfully abated or the violation is upheld on
appeal, the permit shall be suspended or revoked.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H207372B2F09742F4B6D099E4E1B97EAF"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Pattern of willful violations</header><text>No permit under this Act may be issued to any applicant if there is a demonstrated pattern of
willful violations of the environmental protection requirements of this
Act by the applicant, any affiliate of the applicant, or the operator or
claim holder if different than the applicant.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H9CFFC50C7D6A46E4A614AE0279E3E37C"><enum>306.</enum><header>Financial assurance</header>
<subsection id="HF59023EAE4F94C1D9BA5E2A9CE8CF456"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Financial assurance required</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HC01D0CB973C94254911241B3D110542E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>After a permit is issued under this title and before any exploration or operations begin under the
permit, the operator shall file with the Secretary, or for National Forest
System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, evidence of financial
assurance
payable to the United States. The financial assurance shall be provided in
the form of a surety bond, a trust fund, letters of credits, government
securities, certificates of deposit, cash, or an equivalent form approved
by such Secretary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H631900EA7FFA42E1A6EB452005997EB4" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The financial assurance shall cover all lands within the initial permit area and all affected
waters that may require restoration, treatment, or other management as a
result of mineral activities, and shall be extended to cover all lands and
waters added pursuant to any permit modification made under section 303(f)
(relating to exploration permits) or section 304(e) (relating to
operations permits), or affected by mineral activities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H70027AFDC51847EEA54ABC620B7223DF"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Amount</header><text>The amount of the financial assurance required under this section shall be sufficient to assure the
completion of reclamation and restoration satisfying the requirements of
this Act if the work were to be performed by the Secretary concerned in
the event of forfeiture, including the construction and maintenance costs
for any treatment facilities necessary to meet Federal and State
environmental requirements. The calculation of such amount shall take into
account the maximum level of financial exposure which shall arise during
the mineral activity and administrative costs associated with a government
agency reclaiming the site.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H5FBFCCABD6224E56AB55F7F5EEAA4FD6"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Duration</header><text>The financial assurance required under this section shall be held for the duration of the mineral
activities and for an additional period to cover the operator’s
responsibility for reclamation, restoration, and long-term maintenance,
and effluent treatment as specified in subsection (g).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF84B10EB02F74102AEDF9B2ABBE0D47D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Adjustments</header><text>The amount of the financial assurance and the terms of the acceptance of the assurance may be
adjusted by the Secretary concerned from time to time as the area
requiring coverage is increased or decreased, or where the costs of
reclamation or treatment change, or pursuant to section 304(f) (relating
to temporary cessation of operations), but the financial assurance shall
otherwise be in compliance with this section. The Secretary concerned
shall review the financial guarantee every 3 years and as part of the
permit application review under section 304(c).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H9AA6363F37554002A0CA23A98219FF04"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Release</header><text>Upon request, and after notice and opportunity for public comment, and after inspection by the
Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of
Agriculture, such Secretary may, after consultation with the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency, release in whole or in part the
financial assurance required under this section if the Secretary makes
both of the following determinations:</text>
<paragraph id="H81F943707B7C4B178784611D87A46170"><enum>(1)</enum><text>A determination that reclamation or restoration covered by the financial assurance has been
accomplished as required by this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H98F590984A0F44A5A1745933169FF6F3"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A determination that the terms and conditions of any other applicable Federal requirements, and
State requirements applicable pursuant to cooperative agreements under
section 308, have been fulfilled.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HB62B52F466BD4208A248E733BA420E51"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Release schedule</header><text>The release referred to in subsection (e) shall be according to the following schedule:</text>
<paragraph id="HAC8765025732430D8934F2C190EC3EFA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>After the operator has completed any required backfilling, regrading, and drainage control of an
area subject to mineral activities and covered by the financial assurance,
and has commenced revegetation on the regraded areas subject to mineral
activities in accordance with the approved plan, that portion of the total
financial assurance secured for the area subject to mineral activities
attributable to the completed activities may be released except that
sufficient assurance must be retained to address other required
reclamation and restoration needs and to assure the long-term success of
the revegetation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA353707C6859446BBBAACCE92910DF7C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>After the operator has completed successfully all remaining mineral activities and reclamation
activities and all requirements of the operations plan and the reclamation
plan, and all other requirements of this Act have been fully met, the
remaining portion of the financial assurance may be released.</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection">During the period following release of the financial assurance as specified in paragraph (1), until
the remaining portion of the financial assurance is released as provided
in paragraph (2), the operator shall be required to comply with the permit
issued under this title.</continuation-text></subsection><subsection id="H36F8F06B27AA4F72B40EA1CC1C73684E"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Effluent</header><text>Notwithstanding section 307(b)(4), where any discharge or other water-related condition resulting
from the mineral activities requires treatment in order to meet the
applicable effluent limitations and water quality standards, the financial
assurance shall include the estimated cost of maintaining such treatment
for the projected period that will be needed after the cessation of
mineral activities. The portion of the financial assurance attributable to
such estimated cost of treatment shall not be released until the discharge
has ceased for a period of 5 years, as determined by ongoing monitoring
and testing, or, if the discharge continues, until the operator has met
all applicable effluent limitations and water quality standards for 5 full
years without treatment.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H2BDC8DDC6C3F41F090EA55434003217C"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Environmental hazards</header><text>If the Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, determines,
after final release of financial assurance, that an environmental hazard
resulting from the mineral activities exists, or the terms and conditions
of the explorations or operations permit of this Act were not fulfilled in
fact at the time of release, such Secretary shall issue an order under
section 506 requiring the claim holder or operator (or any person who
controls the claim holder or operator) to correct the condition such that
applicable laws and regulations and any conditions from the plan of
operations are met.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H4D4CBC79309B48129A44FF80953BF78D"><enum>307.</enum><header>Operation and reclamation</header>
<subsection id="H77D3578D7D91489EAB6C726FE652DE46"><enum>(a)</enum><header>General rule</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HCD43C92FE98E4E05AAC4CA3A72C05EEC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The operator shall restore lands subject to mineral activities carried out under a permit issued
under this title to a condition capable of supporting—</text>
<subparagraph id="H5D3CDDD57E594ADC8647D58B1E5445ED" indent="up1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the uses which such lands were capable of supporting prior to surface disturbance by the operator,
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB1A95DF5727543B9A8731C56BAEED394" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>other beneficial uses which conform to applicable land use plans as determined by the Secretary, or
for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA1CA5578D304484AAD5596DC434D6DA0" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Reclamation shall proceed as contemporaneously as practicable with the conduct of mineral
activities. In the case of a cessation of mineral activities beyond that
provided for as a temporary cessation under this Act, reclamation
activities shall begin immediately.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H59FDE16058EF4CDDA9A360A8B92FAA3A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Operation and reclamation standards</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture shall jointly promulgate regulations
that establish operation and reclamation standards for mineral activities
permitted under this Act. The Secretaries may determine whether
outcome-based performance standards or technology-based design standards
are most appropriate. The regulations shall address the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H2D50C38E7810422ABD211863E32DA05D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Segregation, protection, and replacement of topsoil or other suitable growth medium, and the
prevention, where possible, of soil contamination.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1C3C8E335A514BC6AFD3C22B226F353C"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Maintenance of the stability of all surface areas.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H42DDE7999A99420BA7E683D74FEA306D"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Control of sediments to prevent erosion and manage drainage.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3367425C56BA42F3995B5F562A5F529F"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Minimization of the formation and migration of acidic, alkaline, metal-bearing, or other
deleterious leachate.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7116D29AAEB24175B86800CAB6E27891"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Reduction of the visual impact of mineral activities to the surrounding topography, including as
necessary pit backfill.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0C6531775CD24D50BD16FA51D08EE41B"><enum>(6)</enum><text>Establishment of a diverse, effective, and permanent vegetative cover of the same seasonal variety
native to the area affected by mineral activities, and equal in extent of
cover to the natural vegetation of the area.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HEBD8DD5BEC40453B81A53E64EE67F9B3"><enum>(7)</enum><text>Design and maintenance of leach operations, impoundments, and excess waste according to standard
engineering standards to achieve and maintain stability and reclamation of
the site.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB12F70D14AD243C7BBFFBBB878FAEB69"><enum>(8)</enum><text>Removal of structures and roads and sealing of drill holes.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFA2F34DB7B384CC5987A3A7179BE9E44"><enum>(9)</enum><text>Restoration of, or mitigation for, fish and wildlife habitat disturbed by mineral activities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H478ED583B4D647689B743AF855362724"><enum>(10)</enum><text>Preservation of cultural, paleontological, and cave resources.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7EFAEB3ADE5E4C3E8BBC5B5A35B8AC26"><enum>(11)</enum><text>Prevention and suppression of fire in the area of mineral activities.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA2905FA53F174DB8A95F9A9615B8F1D5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Surface or groundwater withdrawals</header><text>The Secretary shall work with State and local governments with authority over the allocation and
use of surface and groundwater in the area around the mine site as
necessary to ensure that any surface or groundwater withdrawals made as a
result of mining activities approved under this section do not cause undue
degradation.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H9A8FCC317F594ED3ADA58F1F4AD2ACF0"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Special rule</header><text>Reclamation activities for a mining claim that has been forfeited, relinquished, or lapsed, or a
plan that has expired or been revoked or suspended, shall continue subject
to review and approval by the Secretary, or for National Forest System
lands, the Secretary of Agriculture.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H986A25B2D4F34ACB91579997BE5C9DF5"><enum>308.</enum><header>State law and regulation</header>
<subsection id="H7E9B769D0DC7473CBEE628FD363C8806"><enum>(a)</enum><header>State law</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H67B86C23413E423ABE2013CDC813151F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Any reclamation, land use, environmental, or public health protection standard or requirement in
State law or regulation that meets or exceeds the requirements of this Act
shall not be construed to be inconsistent with any such standard.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9FB91AE4353C45C09FB09FF61459EF7A" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Any bonding standard or requirement in State law or regulation that meets or exceeds the
requirements of this Act shall not be construed to be inconsistent with
such requirements.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF2227103A85546FFB3A0FD40B2734E1F" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Any inspection standard or requirement in State law or regulation that meets or exceeds the
requirements of this Act shall not be construed to be inconsistent with
such requirements.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H78B5EEE2710E4EEDBC08914838114272"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Applicability of other state requirements</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H2E4D3F0857F44C48973279C1CAB0BCBB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting any toxic substance, solid waste, or air or
water quality, standard or requirement of any State, county, local, or
tribal law or regulation, which may be applicable to mineral activities on
lands subject to this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6E0655A0C72B4C1B9015969027F7F01E" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Nothing in this Act shall be construed as affecting in any way the right of any person to enforce
or protect, under applicable law, such person’s interest in water
resources affected by mineral activities on lands subject to this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFF0A6932A61D4501A75568E8E5440586"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Cooperative agreements</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H048200AC9E5A4AEE82A86535AB66A69E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Any State may enter into a cooperative agreement with the Secretary, or for National Forest System
lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, for the purposes of such Secretary
applying such standards and requirements referred to in subsection (a) and
subsection (b) to mineral activities or reclamation on lands subject to
this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H70616A76BE0D44D1B229F22F21392F0A" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>In such instances where the proposed mineral activities would affect lands not subject to this Act
in addition to lands subject to this Act, in order to approve a plan of
operations the Secretary concerned shall enter into a cooperative
agreement with the State that sets forth a common regulatory framework
consistent with the requirements of this Act for the purposes of such plan
of operations. Any such common regulatory framework shall not negate the
authority of the Federal Government to independently inspect mines and
operations and bring enforcement actions for violations.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB6E135104FAF49E0A3AD819D6D4A9F46" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Secretary concerned shall not enter into a cooperative agreement with any State under this
section until after notice in the Federal Register and opportunity for
public comment and hearing.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HAD2D2868032849B09E5C484335F2F843"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Prior agreements</header><text>Any cooperative agreement or such other understanding between the Secretary concerned and any
State, or political subdivision thereof, relating to the management of
mineral activities on lands subject to this Act that was in existence on
the date of enactment of this Act may only continue in force until 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act. During such 1-year period, the
State and the Secretary shall review the terms of the agreement and make
changes that are necessary to be consistent with this Act.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HCDAF17AF20C14A14B3DFF5F8818DE612"><enum>309.</enum><header>Limitation on the issuance of permits</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">No permit shall be issued under this title that authorizes mineral activities that would impair the
land or resources of a National Park or a National Monument. For purposes
of this section, the term <term>impair</term> shall include any diminution of the affected land including wildlife, scenic assets, water
resources, air quality, and acoustic qualities, or other changes that
would impair a citizen’s experience at the National Park or National
Monument.</text>
</section><enum>IV</enum><header>Mining Mitigation</header>
<subtitle id="HCAB117F46EC14725A37285AC0D58601B"><enum>A</enum><header>Hardrock Minerals Fund</header>
<section id="H54F0BF5F2E604E898D6D45B4172B9A03"><enum>401.</enum><header>Definitions</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">As used in this title:</text>
<paragraph id="H8EAFCD51F11A4B58BC7BA3C180C11A57"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The term <quote>crude ore</quote> means ore in its unprocessed form, containing profitable amounts of the target mineral.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2BAC2614873C4A8C9E9233DE4EE64A90"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The term <quote>displaced material</quote> means any crude ore and waste dislodged from its location at the time hardrock mining operations
begin at a surface, underground, or in-situ mine.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2C4913D3C3694A8B9E084484A4487770"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The term <quote>Federal land</quote> means any land, including mineral interests, owned by the United States without regard to how the
United States acquired ownership of the land and without regard to the
agency having responsibility for management thereof, except Indian lands.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3E519D2EF34E4206940AA1C711C57907"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Fund</header><text>The term <quote>Fund</quote> means the Hardrock Minerals Fund established by section 402.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H68DFAB8E68264E71890C9BB7D175E33E"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The term <quote>hardrock mineral</quote> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="HEAB0BB1596B4404B94045713B0D60ECA"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any mineral mined under the Mining Law of 1872 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/22">30 U.S.C. 22 et seq.</external-xref>); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1E22C08AFEE8471EB6900F7CE5F284F2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with respect to State, Indian, and private lands, any mineral on those lands that would be
considered hardrock mineral under subparagraph (A) if such mineral had
been mined under the Mining Law of 1872.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H727A9F18FE174F149392145AF0FB1057"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The term <quote>hardrock mining operation</quote> means—</text>
<subparagraph id="H536061D040C44EBFAF2734F82CD1C640"><enum>(A)</enum><text>any activity or operation conducted to mine a mineral under the Mining Law of 1872 (30 U.S.C. 22 et
seq.);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBD4A279646644305B0AB3945A9F3C65A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>with respect to State, Indian, and private lands, any activity or operation conducted on such lands
to mine a mineral that would be considered hardrock mineral if such
mineral had been mined under the Mining Law of 1872; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H011279C773E24A3591CC001287A3034F"><enum>(C)</enum><text>any activities or operations to mine any other mineral the mining of which, at any time on or after
the date of the enactment of this Act, is or was subject to the Mining Law
of 1872.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HAA75D115AED841AE98EA3E4D34EEEE31"><enum>(7)</enum><text>The term <quote>mineral activity</quote> means any activity on a mining claim, millsite claim, or tunnel site claim for, related to, or
incidental to, any mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing,
or reclamation activity for any hardrock mineral.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H37250C6D7871454BB33EB3527B89B004"><enum>(8)</enum><text>The term <quote>operator</quote> means any person that conducts a mineral activity and any agent of such person.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H41D007EADE3F44B29713C8F5A909178A"><enum>(9)</enum><text>The term <quote>ton</quote> means 2,000 pounds avoirdupois (.90718 metric ton).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3A8E64877347476CA699F5AA646FA77F"><enum>(10)</enum><text>The term <quote>waste</quote> means rock that must be fractured and removed in order to gain access to crude ore.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HD9D8F788C97342CEAF5CFC5E39B855F9"><enum>402.</enum><header>Establishment of Fund</header>
<subsection id="H8B9FC8A8F29A4132ADE6E244C5DB838A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text>There is established on the books of the Treasury a separate account to be known as the Hardrock
Minerals Fund.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H573FA73074284FD1AC371D49F6E3B026"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Investment</header><text>The Secretary shall notify the Secretary of the Treasury as to what portion of the Fund is not, in
the Secretary’s judgment, required to meet current withdrawals. The
Secretary of the Treasury shall invest such portion of the Fund in public
debt securities with maturities suitable for the needs of such Fund and
bearing interest at rates determined by the Secretary of the Treasury,
taking into consideration current market yields on outstanding marketplace
obligations of the United States of comparable maturities.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HD246D602574C4DCABDFDF3EB39F42B88"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Administration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In addition to other uses authorized by this title, the Secretary may use amounts in the Fund as
necessary for the administrative expenses of the United States, Indian
tribes, and the States to implement this title.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H160763500A7E423BB09AA37FF82867C9"><enum>403.</enum><header>Contents of Fund</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The following amounts shall be credited to the Fund:</text>
<paragraph id="H3959779A2A5640C2A01A86ECB5D16511"><enum>(1)</enum><text>All moneys collected pursuant to section 506 and section 504.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H679735A23A3C4502822528D37E1F6D50"><enum>(2)</enum><text>All fees received under section 304(a)(1)(B).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H696E98123C1E41AA944DE869B0BD348A"><enum>(3)</enum><text>All donations by persons, corporations, associations, and foundations for the purposes of this
subtitle.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB5F356A5FEC04D9EB763B2895DAAD467"><enum>(4)</enum><text>All amounts deposited in the Fund under section 102.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD00E6C7FCB9D40ABBA52D281EDB06C69"><enum>(5)</enum><text>All amounts received by the United States from issuance of patents based on a determination under
section 101.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HFCC2FE96B2064DA4A6445963BE7A9D82"><enum>(6)</enum><text>All amounts received by the United States pursuant to section 103 as claim maintenance and location
fees, other than the moneys allocated for administration of the mining
laws by the Department of the Interior.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBE9A96D5F42F4F8A8A3B86717D2A5940"><enum>(7)</enum><text>All income on investments under section 402(b).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H810809B0B8384A6BB26AD5F58E2B9AD1"><enum>(8)</enum><text>All amounts deposited in the Fund under section 405.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H19741337932145E0861C9501AB8D8BD4"><enum>404.</enum><header>Subaccounts</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">There shall be in the Fund 2 subaccounts, as follows:</text>
<paragraph id="H97D819494D884A8A8DEE7E2161B1063E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Hardrock Reclamation Account, which shall consist of two-thirds of the amounts credited to the
Fund under section 403 and which shall be administered by the Secretary
acting through the Director of the Office of Surface Mining and
Enforcement.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7C6DA35D96EA4F378A44E4F4D98BDF85"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Hardrock Community Impact Assistance Account, which shall consist of one-third of the amounts
credited to the Fund under section 403 and which shall be administered by
the Secretary acting through the Director of the Bureau of Land
Management.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="H85FAC62174FD4A59B563EFAC6D1E6C6E"><enum>405.</enum><header>Displaced material reclamation fee</header>
<subsection id="H09281ABD99E648DCA4EE07D8255A434A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Imposition of fee</header><text>Except as provided in subsection (g), each operator of a hardrock mining operation shall pay to the
Secretary, for deposit in the Hardrock Minerals Fund established by
section 402, a displaced material reclamation fee of 7 cents per ton of
displaced material.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HF456C84807F4485B86EBAED47E68E376"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Payment Deadline</header><text>Such reclamation fee shall be paid not later than 60 days after the end of each calendar year
beginning with the first calendar year occurring after the date of
enactment of this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HBDAD67FB42E54C508B3AA1E564660A66"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Submission of statement</header><text>Together with such reclamation fee, all operators of hardrock mining operations shall submit to the
Secretary a statement of the amount of displaced material produced during
mineral activities during the previous calendar year, the accuracy of
which shall be sworn to by the operator and notarized.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HDBDAED90B917453DBEADCFD575471506"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Penalty</header><text>Any corporate officer, agent, or director of a person conducting a hardrock mining operation, and
any other person acting on behalf of such a person, who knowingly makes
any false statement, representation, or certification, or knowingly fails
to make any statement, representation, or certification, required under
this section with respect to such operation shall, upon conviction, be
punished by a fine of not more than $10,000.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HC9CAD734CB7D4ADF9BD1483A1C724569"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Civil Action To Recover Fee</header><text>Any portion of such reclamation fee not properly or promptly paid pursuant to this section shall be
recoverable, with statutory interest, from the hardrock mining operations
operator, in any court of competent jurisdiction in any action at law to
compel payment of debts.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HE843387A84B74322964CE1D63885EEC1"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Effect</header><text>Nothing in this section requires a reduction in, or otherwise affects, any similar fee required
under any law (including regulations) of any State.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H76A7C7F27CBF47F1BC297084EE7FFC49"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Exemption</header>
<paragraph id="HF94BD62D949A4F6F981AA84C62B1C775"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The fee under this section shall not apply for a person for any tax year for which the person
certifies to the Secretary in writing that the person and all related
parties with respect to such person, in the aggregate, had annual gross
income from mineral production in an amount less than $100,000.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6EE54FD65F684CF896F7372EEEF05EEB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Aggregation of income</header><text>The dollar amount in paragraph (1) shall be applied for a person to the aggregate of all annual
gross income from mineral production under all mining claims held by or
assigned to such person or any related parties with respect to such
person, including mining claims located or for which a patent was issued
before the date of the enactment of this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3B15BF00039E4D68BFD9531B7AA742A0"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For the purposes of this paragraph, the term <quote>related parties</quote> means, with respect to a person—</text>
<subparagraph id="HDADFD39FAFA94093AB5F0745A87B8E08"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the spouse and all dependents (as defined in <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/26/152">section 152</external-xref> of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26
U.S.C. 152)) of the person; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HBD74EB6216014F99B4151096F5FD78E2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>another person who is affiliated with the person, including—</text>
<clause id="HEFF3A69901D54645820D8DA61AAF5A6B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>another person controlled by, controlling, or under common control with the person; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HAD29A231810048E0906FE0364F0A3425"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a subsidiary or parent company or corporation of the person.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="H6E0C39F9CF754585BD91594964DBF803"><enum>B</enum><header>Use of Hardrock Reclamation Account</header>
<section id="H58BA7DAA70C94141ADF97A4B72E2881F"><enum>411.</enum><header>Use and objectives of the account</header>
<subsection id="H0E527435C12E4C2AA96F3D0231BB6AD5"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorized uses</header>
<paragraph id="HBD30756288894D2386581F3F238127C5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The Secretary may, subject to appropriations, use moneys in the Hardrock Reclamation Account
(hereinafter in this subtitle referred to as the <quote>Account</quote>) for the reclamation and restoration of land and water resources adversely affected by past
hardrock mineral activities and related activities on lands described in
section 412, including any of the following:</text>
<subparagraph id="H10C148DFF3584BB5BA199965D5CC3BC3"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Protecting public health and safety.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDC59710AD74B48DB8271CA319686CE78"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Preventing, abating, treating, and controlling water pollution created by abandoned mine drainage,
including in river watershed areas.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB2340CB915654D1FACD3B6528D49C623"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Reclaiming and restoring abandoned surface and underground mined areas.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H750E60BD3BDF4EDFB952C2956ACAF968"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Reclaiming and restoring abandoned milling and processing areas.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0AD843967F154DC7A800328FD7AE8C47"><enum>(E)</enum><text>Backfilling, sealing, or otherwise controlling abandoned underground mine entries.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H25E6F67856874BC18145C93CD65B64AC"><enum>(F)</enum><text>Revegetating land adversely affected by past mineral activities in order to prevent erosion and
sedimentation, to enhance wildlife habitat, and for any other reclamation
purpose.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H933D0C0D722D4DBF947CF2E1189EE871"><enum>(G)</enum><text>Controlling surface subsidence due to abandoned underground mines.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HE1B246325B4E40BF9C3F7C9515244AC0"><enum>(H)</enum><text>Enhancing fish and wildlife habitat.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H8CCC7D7D90074659A104F5AB7DDF0E86"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Manner of use</header><text>Amounts in the Account may—</text>
<subparagraph id="H211D8550D7D949E5B0383950999137B5"><enum>(A)</enum><text>be expended by the Secretary for the purposes described in paragraph (1);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H62920DED31C64F89B36FC9E1464D67D5"><enum>(B)</enum><text>be transferred by the Secretary to the Director of the Bureau of Land Management, the Chief of the
Forest Service, the Director of the National Park Service, the Director of
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the head of any other Federal
agency, or any public entity that volunteers to develop and implement, and
that has the ability to carry out, all or a significant portion of a
reclamation program under this subtitle; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H09D97E66292B45BF99219754C71C7751"><enum>(C)</enum><text>be transferred by the Secretary to an Indian tribe or a State to carry out a reclamation program
under this subtitle that meets the purposes described in paragraph (1).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6080B761999A4DE6B8CAA7AC1A529B9A"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Allocation</header><text>Of the amounts deposited into the Account—</text>
<paragraph id="H873B4C5792A4496DA1B15BC76EBB3417"><enum>(1)</enum><text>25 percent shall be allocated by the Secretary for expenditure in States or on tribal lands within
the boundaries of which occurs production of hardrock minerals or mineral
concentrates or products derived from hardrock minerals, based on a
formula reflecting existing production in each such State or on the land
of the Indian tribe;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCDA27519B82247E9B072EF4525A94D43"><enum>(2)</enum><text>25 percent shall be allocated for expenditure by the Secretary in States or on tribal lands based
on a formula reflecting the quantity of hardrock minerals, or mineral
concentrates or products derived from hardrock minerals, historically
produced in each such State or from the land of the Indian tribe before
the date of enactment of this Act; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4CDB4A3B5BF9430097DF3CFD55665978"><enum>(3)</enum><text>50 percent shall be allocated for expenditure by the Secretary to address high-priority needs
according to the priorities in subsection (c).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H9F66890E11124BAD8ADF1C30B6BA366D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Priorities</header><text>Expenditures of moneys from the Account shall reflect the following priorities in the order stated:</text>
<paragraph id="H29B1054AF0714DB7BEB4655897EF6084"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The protection of public health and safety from extreme danger from the adverse effects of past
mineral activities, especially as relates to surface water and ground
water contaminants.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0231A2947D094B3C8D50E2DAB05182FC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The protection of public health and safety from the adverse effects of past mineral activities.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H04300CE499E841048910C58DA427D53F"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The restoration of land, water, and fish and wildlife resources previously degraded by the adverse
effects of past mineral activities, which may include restoration
activities in river watershed areas.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H6AC1C53CEB044FEA837749DE3469E84C"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Habitat</header><text>Reclamation and restoration activities under this subtitle shall include appropriate mitigation
measures to provide for the continuation of any established habitat for
wildlife in existence before the commencement of such activities.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HBF458C330AE84C37AA47B010E7A2D318"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Response or removal actions</header><text>Reclamation and restoration activities under this subtitle that constitute a removal or remedial
action under section 101 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9601">42 U.S.C. 9601</external-xref>), shall be
conducted with the concurrence of the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency. The Secretary and the Administrator shall enter into a
memorandum of understanding to establish procedures for consultation,
concurrence, training, exchange of technical expertise, and joint
activities under the appropriate circumstances, that provide assurances
that reclamation or restoration activities under this subtitle shall not
be conducted in a manner that increases the costs or likelihood of removal
or remedial actions under the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9601">42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.</external-xref>), and that
avoid oversight by multiple agencies to the maximum extent practicable.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H841668E3BCC743DEB5D47ED20C1A0C77"><enum>412.</enum><header>Eligible lands and waters</header>
<subsection id="H0676A59D38D34DDB9E4310BDB86D8E4B"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Eligibility</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Reclamation expenditures under this subtitle may only be made with respect to Federal, State,
Indian, local, and private lands that have been affected by past mineral
activities, and water resources that traverse or are contiguous to such
lands, including any of the following:</text>
<paragraph id="H9D59B3D8FA2D49EF9FB756AE80978B4F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Lands and water resources that were used for, or affected by, mineral activities and abandoned or
left in an inadequate reclamation status before the effective date of this
Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1DC9715F522E4CD08F21603879B61275"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Lands for which the Secretary makes a determination that there is no continuing reclamation
responsibility of a claim holder, operator, or other person who abandoned
the site prior to completion of required reclamation under State or other
Federal laws.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HE6CD63AA1A7B4965913F6D50D37E319F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Specific Sites and Areas Not Eligible</header><text>Sites and areas designated for remedial action pursuant to the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation
Control Act of 1978 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/7901">42 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.</external-xref>) shall not be eligible for
expenditures from the Account under this section.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H28994883FE814B1DA1D1CE0744D962BE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Inventory</header><text>The Secretary shall prepare and maintain a publicly available inventory of abandoned hardrock
minerals mines on public lands and any abandoned mine on Indian lands that
may be eligible for expenditures under this subtitle, and shall submit an
annual report to the Congress on the progress in cleanup of such sites.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HEC2C7C37BD554A7FB261B69AEC432D8A"><enum>413.</enum><header>Authorization of appropriations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Amounts credited to the Hardrock Reclamation Account are authorized to be appropriated for the
purpose of this subtitle without fiscal year limitation.</text>
</section></subtitle><subtitle id="H044A2E3A1C764730BE0ECC62B201B65B"><enum>C</enum><header>Use of Hardrock Community Impact Assistance Account</header>
<section id="H3D7045AB2CCC459CB4C7748D99756D5F"><enum>421.</enum><header>Use and objectives of the account</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Amounts in the Hardrock Community Impact Assistance Account shall be available to the Secretary,
subject to appropriations, to provide assistance for the planning,
construction, and maintenance of public facilities and the provision of
public services to States, political subdivisions, and Indian tribes that
are socially or economically impacted by mineral activities conducted
under the general mining laws.</text>
</section><section id="HC3C22C074DC6457BB9049D066B5F1399"><enum>422.</enum><header>Allocation of funds</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Moneys deposited into the Hardrock Community Impact Assistance Account shall be allocated by the
Secretary for purposes of section 421 among the States within the
boundaries of which occurs production of locatable minerals from mining
claims located under the general mining laws and maintained in compliance
with this Act, or mineral concentrates or products derived from locatable
minerals from mining claims located under the general mining laws and
maintained in compliance with this Act, as the case may be, in proportion
to the amount of such production in each such State.</text>
</section></subtitle><enum>V</enum><header>Administrative and Miscellaneous Provisions</header>
<subtitle id="HE61FDBC72C7F47ECB4619EA5738B8BE2"><enum>A</enum><header>Administrative Provisions</header>
<section id="H5CEB84FDF8AB43B6846F82ABD5EA2644"><enum>501.</enum><header>Policy functions</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="HF1A45CD381B841878F498151702AD795"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Minerals policy</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 101 of the Mining and Minerals Policy Act of 1970 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/21a">30 U.S.C. 21a</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="HE669F10D9E2541F8A5177A5D484401EB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in the first sentence by inserting before the period at the end the following: <quote>and to ensure that mineral extraction and processing not cause undue degradation of the natural and
cultural resources of the public lands</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H615C836A1EAC4BF792F6F7AABA0F1AB6"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by adding at the end thereof the following: <quote>It shall also be the responsibility of the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the policy
provisions of clauses (1) and (2) of the first paragraph of this section.</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H8D3BE79D192742F6AD71CCFC72CA68D0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Mineral data</header><text>Section 5(e)(3) of the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/1604">30 U.S.C. 1604(e)(3)</external-xref>) is amended by inserting before the period the
following: <quote>, except that for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promptly
initiate
actions to improve the availability and analysis of mineral data in public
land use decisionmaking</quote>.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="HAE7E1D338A7240CBA0280A73F175390D"><enum>502.</enum><header>User fees</header>
<subsection id="H16D9AE0738E3453C855A778259D80CFC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture may each establish and collect from persons subject
to the requirements of this Act such user fees as may be necessary to
reimburse the United States for the expenses incurred in administering
such requirements. Fees may be assessed and collected under this section
only in such manner as may reasonably be expected to result in an
aggregate amount of the fees collected during any fiscal year which does
not exceed the aggregate amount of administrative expenses referred to in
this section.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HD82BA54D26D94159BF79859542306443"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Adjustment</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HA64454106B9141ADAB3EA365C5500884"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary shall adjust the fees required by this section to reflect changes in the Consumer
Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department
of Labor every 5 years after the date of enactment of this Act, or more
frequently if the Secretary determines an adjustment to be reasonable.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H17A4E88A4CF14B1881517734A3326A4C" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary shall provide claimants notice of any adjustment made under this subsection not later
than July 1 of any year in which the adjustment is made.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H368ECC59ECAA4C579AD3E1B7E73D5A6B" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>A fee adjustment under this subsection shall begin to apply the calendar year following the
calendar year in which it is made.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HEA86D9D45386438491EB4950A251F407"><enum>503.</enum><header>Inspection and monitoring</header>
<subsection id="H2128CAA276854B98A1179E114E29CFE6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Inspections</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H8FA528F7BA7A411CA8B2794250D6B2B4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall make
inspections of mineral activities so as to ensure compliance with the
requirements of this Act.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H83265B7FC38D42DABEF77A3B2C33B169" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary concerned shall establish a frequency of inspections for mineral activities conducted
under a permit issued under title III, but in no event shall such
inspection frequency be less than one complete inspection per calendar
quarter or, two per calendar quarter in the case of a permit for which the
Secretary concerned approves an application under section 304(f) (relating
to temporary cessation of operations). After revegetation has been
established in accordance with a reclamation plan, such Secretary shall
conduct annually 2 complete inspections. Such Secretary shall have the
discretion to modify the inspection frequency for mineral activities that
are conducted on a seasonal basis. Inspections shall continue under this
subsection until final release of financial assurance.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC249B7D282954AEB84FA4E40CD1B869B" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H0104728C238944D08C7EBEF0B78A7655"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Any person who has reason to believe he or she is or may be adversely affected by mineral
activities due to any violation of the requirements of a permit approved
under this Act may request an inspection. The Secretary, or for National
Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall determine within
10 working days of receipt of the request whether the request states a
reason to believe that a violation exists. If the person alleges and
provides reason to believe that an imminent threat to the environment or
danger to the health or safety of the public exists, the 10-day period
shall be waived and the inspection shall be conducted immediately. When an
inspection is conducted under this paragraph, the Secretary concerned
shall notify the person requesting the inspection, and such person shall
be allowed to accompany the Secretary concerned or the Secretary’s
authorized representative during the inspection. The Secretary shall not
incur any liability for allowing such person to accompany an authorized
representative. The identity of the person supplying information to the
Secretary relating to a possible violation or imminent danger or harm
shall remain confidential with the Secretary if so requested by that
person, unless that person elects to accompany an authorized
representative on the inspection.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCABBE340D5384744999EFFD242F61E34" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The Secretaries shall, by joint rule, establish procedures for the review of (i) any decision by an
authorized representative not to inspect; or (ii) any refusal by such
representative to ensure that remedial actions are taken with respect to
any alleged violation. The Secretary concerned shall furnish such persons
requesting the review a written statement of the reasons for the
Secretary’s final disposition of the case.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H96F4B75EBD3C473FBAD45E484DDA7374"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Monitoring</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HEBC45C1CD5A94E2A8BE9FEFB8EB3D74E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall require all
operators to develop and maintain a monitoring and evaluation system that
shall identify compliance with all requirements of a permit approved under
this Act. The Secretary concerned may require additional monitoring to be
conducted as necessary to assure compliance with the reclamation and other
environmental standards of this Act. Such plan must be reviewed and
approved by the Secretary and shall become a part of the explorations or
operations permit.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HDB933D911F93425D8610E557D7F21E63" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The operator shall file reports with the Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the
Secretary of Agriculture, on a frequency determined by the Secretary
concerned, on the results of the monitoring and evaluation process, except
that if the monitoring and evaluation show a violation of the requirements
of a permit approved under this Act, it shall be reported immediately to
the Secretary concerned. The Secretary shall evaluate the reports
submitted pursuant to this paragraph, and based on those reports and any
necessary inspection shall take enforcement action pursuant to this
section. Such reports shall be maintained by the operator and by the
Secretary and shall be made available to the public.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HE13207800FD34A7B97295A265DFE48C8" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall determine
what information shall be reported by the operator pursuant to paragraph
(3). A failure to report as required by the Secretary concerned shall
constitute a violation of this Act and subject the operator to enforcement
action pursuant to section 506.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H7E58C7256E004C63B4CD807520B2E81F"><enum>504.</enum><header>Citizens suits</header>
<subsection id="H944BFBD5DDB5480387BE8B0DA46589B8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in subsection (b), any person may commence a civil action on his or her own
behalf to compel compliance—</text>
<paragraph id="H201AE12AB94A45A5806EFEB416ED53F4"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">against any person (including the Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture) who is alleged to be
in violation of any of the provisions of this Act or any regulation
promulgated pursuant to title III of this Act or any term or condition of
any permit issued under title III of this Act; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC2E09460535545B98826AF31C6F34470"><enum>(2)</enum><text>against the Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture where there is alleged a failure of such
Secretary to perform any act or duty under this Act, or to promulgate any
regulation under this Act, which is not within the discretion of the
Secretary concerned.</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection">The United States district courts shall have jurisdiction over actions brought under this section,
without regard to the amount in controversy or the citizenship of the
parties, including actions brought to apply any civil penalty under this
Act. The district courts of the United States shall have jurisdiction to
compel agency action unreasonably delayed, except that an action to compel
agency action reviewable under section 505 may only be filed in a United
States district court within the circuit in which such action would be
reviewable under section 505.</continuation-text></subsection><subsection id="H87BE37641DB6409BA4AB54985F1620D0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Exceptions</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HEB31E325E53149ABB5348B4FF91329EB"><enum>(1)</enum><text>No action may be commenced under subsection (a) before the end of the 60-day period beginning on
the date the plaintiff has given notice in writing of such alleged
violation to the alleged violator and the Secretary, or for National
Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, except that any such
action may be brought immediately after such notification if the violation
complained of constitutes an imminent threat to the environment or to the
health or safety of the public.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4C4524DDFFE9443BB9B54546AD534597" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>No action may be brought against any person other than the Secretary or the Secretary of
Agriculture under subsection (a)(1) if such Secretary has commenced and is
diligently prosecuting a civil or criminal action in a court of the United
States to require compliance.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H510D0AF41D824FD88B38AA6EEA6739C5" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>No action may be commenced under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) against either Secretary to review
any rule promulgated by, or to any permit issued or denied by such
Secretary if such rule or permit issuance or denial is judicially
reviewable under section 505 or under any other provision of law at any
time after such promulgation, issuance, or denial is final.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7F4B4537D0AA4DDAAEBB30B0B1F3B3B5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Venue</header><text>Venue of all actions brought under this section shall be determined in accordance with section 1391
of title 28, United States Code.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H8E18A6A853DA4509A310F397DB49FC60"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Costs</header><text>The court, in issuing any final order in any action brought pursuant to this section may award
costs of litigation (including attorney and expert witness fees) to any
party whenever the court determines such award is appropriate. The court
may, if a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction is sought,
require the filing of a bond or equivalent security in accordance with the
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB865FE70C4364F418D8CCADD2367A534"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Savings clause</header><text>Nothing in this section shall restrict any right which any person (or class of persons) may have
under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/5/7">chapter 7</external-xref> of title 5, United States Code, under this section, or
under any other statute or common law to bring an action to seek any
relief against the Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture or against
any other person, including any action for any violation of this Act or of
any regulation or permit issued under this Act or for any failure to act
as required by law. Nothing in this section shall affect the jurisdiction
of any court under any provision of title 28, United States Code,
including any action for any violation of this Act or of any regulation or
permit issued under this Act or for any failure to act as required by law.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H2F4EFEB453D24C0590FD8AF6DB8870E5"><enum>505.</enum><header>Administrative and judicial review</header>
<subsection id="HD502B846298E4C33AFE6DA854581FC39"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Review by secretary</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H803E517112EE431689D2CDC08A4A1CDC"><enum>(1)</enum>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H1D26CBFCD0A34ED185CA5BEBC510F9BE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Any person issued a notice of violation or cessation order under section 506, or any person having
an interest which is or may be adversely affected by such notice or order,
may apply to the Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the
Secretary of Agriculture, for review of the notice or order within 30 days
after receipt thereof, or as the case may be, within 30 days after such
notice or order is modified, vacated, or terminated.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HFBB557DE441A45DEBEE7A05EE159A43F" indent="up2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Any person who is subject to a penalty assessed under section 506 may apply to the Secretary
concerned for review of the assessment within 45 days of notification of
such penalty.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H035D4F940D1A4723823CE80016501FD0" indent="up2"><enum>(C)</enum><text>Any person may apply to such Secretary for review of the decision within 30 days after it is made.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCCF92C5D850546FD93931BEB6AE49FC0" indent="up2"><enum>(D)</enum><text>Pending a review by the Secretary or resolution of an administrative appeal, final decisions
(except enforcement actions under section 506) shall be stayed.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HA13829A7CC8744A39CE69A8B5C60CFF7" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The Secretary concerned shall provide an opportunity for a public hearing at the request of any
party to the proceeding as specified in paragraph (1). The filing of an
application for review under this subsection shall not operate as a stay
of any order or notice issued under section 506.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H34C8196EAA664E9E9BEB7566D03729F1" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>For any review proceeding under this subsection, the Secretary concerned shall make findings of
fact and shall issue a written decision incorporating therein an order
vacating, affirming, modifying, or terminating the notice, order, or
decision, or with respect to an assessment, the amount of penalty that is
warranted. Where the application for review concerns a cessation order
issued under section 506 the Secretary concerned shall issue the written
decision within 30 days of the receipt of the application for review or
within 30 days after the conclusion of any hearing referred to in
paragraph (2), whichever is later, unless temporary relief has been
granted by the Secretary concerned under paragraph (4).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H94DAB6CF37304F3DB5FC524D045CB9B4" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Pending completion of any review proceedings under this subsection, the applicant may file with the
Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of
Agriculture, a written request that the Secretary grant temporary relief
from any order issued under section 506 together with a detailed statement
giving reasons for such relief. The Secretary concerned shall
expeditiously issue an order or decision granting or denying such relief.
The Secretary concerned may grant such relief under such conditions as he
or she may prescribe only if such relief shall not adversely affect the
health or safety of the public or cause imminent environmental harm to
land, air, or water resources.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H25DC13638BC34E7BB371AC1E681FD609" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The availability of review under this subsection shall not be construed to limit the operation of
rights under section 504 (relating to citizen suits).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H55B1DD51C9AC4897A9CC106F170FF245"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Judicial review</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H8A85404CE41A4841B6E6E371EA317296"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Any final action by the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture in promulgating regulations to
implement this Act, or any other final actions constituting rulemaking to
implement this Act, shall be subject to judicial review only in the United
States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Any action subject
to judicial review under this subsection shall be affirmed unless the
court concludes that such action is arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise
inconsistent with law. A petition for review of any action subject to
judicial review under this subsection shall be filed within 60 days from
the date of such action, or after such date if the petition is based
solely on grounds arising after the 60th day. Any such petition may be
made by any person who commented or otherwise participated in the
rulemaking or any person who may be adversely affected by the action of
the Secretaries.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3332E62AD3E147029459827CF091B8EE" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Final agency action under this subsection, including such final action on those matters described
under subsection (a), shall be subject to judicial review in accordance
with paragraph (4) and pursuant to <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/28/1391">section 1391</external-xref> of title 28, United States
Code, on or before 60 days from the date of such final action. Any action
subject to judicial review under this subsection shall be affirmed unless
the court concludes that such action is arbitrary, capricious, or
otherwise inconsistent with law.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HBC66BC446E094E18A9D221FC90C60F14" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The availability of judicial review established in this subsection shall not be construed to limit
the operations of rights under section 504 (relating to citizens suits).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H0035BBEF1F344F5DB3AD5A6EEF53E5AF" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>The court shall hear any petition or complaint filed under this subsection solely on the record
made before the Secretary or Secretaries concerned. The court may affirm
or vacate any order or decision or may remand the proceedings to the
Secretary or Secretaries for such further action as it may direct.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7EF51B2447534EA889A40D0ECB151E3A" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>The commencement of a proceeding under this section shall not, unless specifically ordered by the
court, operate as a stay of the action, order, or decision of the
Secretary or Secretaries concerned.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H48DC4A42376F44378A641620F1171A0D"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Costs</header><text>Whenever a proceeding occurs under subsection (a) or (b), at the request of any person, a sum equal
to the aggregate amount of all costs and expenses (including attorney
fees) as determined by the Secretary or Secretaries concerned or the court
to have been reasonably incurred by such person for or in connection with
participation in such proceedings, including any judicial review of the
proceeding, may be assessed against either party as the court, in the case
of judicial review, or the Secretary or Secretaries concerned in the case
of administrative proceedings, deems proper if it is determined that such
party prevailed in whole or in part, achieving some success on the merits,
and that such party made a substantial contribution to a full and fair
determination of the issues.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H0B7CCD1D942C468CB0F26385F8658029"><enum>506.</enum><header>Enforcement</header>
<subsection id="H7FA3DBA0BE9243BCBF98CC60A03B69E1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Orders</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HBDE2E3746DE6449397DEBB9C8D3A13B0"><enum>(1)</enum><text>If the Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, or an
authorized representative of such Secretary, determines that any person is
in violation of any environmental protection requirement under title III
or any regulation issued by the Secretaries to implement this Act, such
Secretary or authorized representative shall issue to such person a notice
of violation describing the violation and the corrective measures to be
taken. The Secretary concerned, or the authorized representative of such
Secretary, shall provide such person with a period of time not to exceed
30 days to abate the violation. Such period of time may be extended by the
Secretary concerned upon a showing of good cause by such person. If, upon
the expiration of time provided for such abatement, the Secretary
concerned, or the authorized representative of such Secretary, finds that
the violation has not been abated he or she shall immediately order a
cessation of all mineral activities or the portion thereof relevant to the
violation.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF20DD58EDBAA4916AAFCAAE67464FEF6" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If the Secretary concerned, or the authorized representative of the Secretary concerned, determines
that any condition or practice exists, or that any person is in violation
of any requirement under a permit approved under this Act, and such
condition, practice or violation is causing, or can reasonably be expected
to cause—</text>
<subparagraph id="H51C7D19C6687413B96A3C4D30FF82DA0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>an imminent danger to the health or safety of the public; or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7141074285BB4B539C56106E35F69BEF"><enum>(B)</enum><text>significant, imminent environmental harm to land, air, water, or fish or wildlife resources,</text></subparagraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="paragraph">such Secretary or authorized representative shall immediately order a cessation of mineral
activities or the portion thereof relevant to the condition, practice, or
violation.</continuation-text></paragraph><paragraph id="H37526E1489E046F6857B12011F534601" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum>
<subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HD36B338C36484816A4A74D41E15C4EF0"><enum>(A)</enum><text>A cessation order pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) shall remain in effect until such Secretary, or
authorized representative, determines that the condition, practice, or
violation has been abated, or until modified, vacated or terminated by the
Secretary or authorized representative. In any such order, the Secretary
or authorized representative shall determine the steps necessary to abate
the violation in the most expeditious manner possible and shall include
the necessary measures in the order. The Secretary concerned shall require
appropriate financial assurances to ensure that the abatement obligations
are met.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDE3D03A43268421C853F7F003D27EA37" indent="up1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Any notice or order issued pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) may be modified, vacated, or
terminated by the Secretary concerned or an authorized representative of
such Secretary. Any person to whom any such notice or order is issued
shall be entitled to a hearing on the record.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H7EB2053CE8CA4A44BA81BC5FB66C279A" indent="up1"><enum>(4)</enum><text>If, after 30 days of the date of the order referred to in paragraph (3)(A) the required abatement
has not occurred, the Secretary concerned shall take such alternative
enforcement action against the claim holder or operator (or any person who
controls the claim holder or operator) as will most likely bring about
abatement in the most expeditious manner possible. Such alternative
enforcement action may include, but is not necessarily limited to, seeking
appropriate injunctive relief to bring about abatement. Nothing in this
paragraph shall preclude the Secretary, or for National Forest System
lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, from taking alternative enforcement
action prior to the expiration of 30 days.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H467330FB578F45388C8D2119E0BEA41E" indent="up1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>If a claim holder or operator (or any person who controls the claim holder or operator) fails to
abate a violation or defaults on the terms of the permit, the Secretary,
or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall
forfeit the financial assurance for the plan as necessary to ensure
abatement and reclamation under this Act. The Secretary concerned may
prescribe conditions under which a surety may perform reclamation in
accordance with the approved plan in lieu of forfeiture.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H38C47BD6C05443D6ACD58A405918A6EF" indent="up1"><enum>(6)</enum><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall not cause
forfeiture of the financial assurance while administrative or judicial
review is pending.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H3AB7D9624B70467CB87FB1510803683C" indent="up1"><enum>(7)</enum><text>In the event of forfeiture, the claim holder, operator, or any affiliate thereof, as appropriate as
determined by the Secretary by rule, shall be jointly and severally liable
for any remaining reclamation obligations under this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H539F63595C014B56B4F562CF36F519A4"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Compliance</header><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, may request the
Attorney General to institute a civil action for relief, including a
permanent or temporary injunction or restraining order, or any other
appropriate enforcement order, including the imposition of civil
penalties, in the district court of the United States for the district in
which the mineral activities are located whenever a person—</text>
<paragraph id="H0D6F657803FF4C49B265507BCBBD1D50"><enum>(1)</enum><text>violates, fails, or refuses to comply with any order issued by the Secretary concerned under
subsection (a); or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H34F80708382941988179C0D8DF31B33F"><enum>(2)</enum><text>interferes with, hinders, or delays the Secretary concerned in carrying out an inspection under
section 503.</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection">Such court shall have jurisdiction to provide such relief as may be appropriate. Any relief granted
by the court to enforce an order under paragraph (1) shall continue in
effect until the completion or final termination of all proceedings for
review of such order unless the district court granting such relief sets
it aside.</continuation-text></subsection><subsection id="H333CC0C5EF644FBD9C8D26D4CDF94E1E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Delegation</header><text>Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may utilize personnel of the Office of
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement to ensure compliance with the
requirements of this Act.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HFEF135FC094843A1A857F731D4C45A9D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Penalties</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H482A6DC7F6F14F37B830A2E0E1227161"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any person who fails to comply with any requirement of a permit approved under this Act or any
regulation issued by the Secretaries to implement this Act shall be liable
for a penalty of not more than $25,000 per violation. Each day of
violation may be deemed a separate violation for purposes of penalty
assessments.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7D8121C4534F476CAC05E353115E8691" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>A person who fails to correct a violation for which a cessation order has been issued under
subsection (a) within the period permitted for its correction shall be
assessed a civil penalty of not less than $1,000 per violation for each
day during which such failure continues.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF392B45D02204893BF73501307C1F849" indent="up1"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Whenever a corporation is in violation of a requirement of a permit approved under this Act or any
regulation issued by the Secretaries to implement this Act or fails or
refuses to comply with an order issued under subsection (a), any director,
officer, or agent of such corporation who knowingly authorized, ordered,
or carried out such violation, failure, or refusal shall be subject to the
same penalties as may be imposed upon the person referred to in paragraph
(1).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA1CD0D47770F4F3C92FC9B9415A87753"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Suspensions or revocations</header><text>The Secretary, or for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, shall suspend or
revoke a permit issued under title III, in whole or in part, if the
operator—</text>
<paragraph id="H85EA6AD389CD4F4E96EF80AF225CD2D3"><enum>(1)</enum><text>knowingly made or knowingly makes any false, inaccurate, or misleading material statement in any
mining claim, notice of location, application, record, report, plan, or
other document filed or required to be maintained under this Act;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB4E1B0F187A04C78907D690AD3B14D02"><enum>(2)</enum><text>fails to abate a violation covered by a cessation order issued under subsection (a);</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7A4835A47D95423BAB4C2BD8851C6DCD"><enum>(3)</enum><text>fails to comply with an order of the Secretary concerned;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H732F048D1B184E319C1DF2BB63B0EDE2"><enum>(4)</enum><text>refuses to permit an audit pursuant to this Act;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF019F27B95794998B48E7ED7C06838F1"><enum>(5)</enum><text>fails to maintain an adequate financial assurance under section 306;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC0294FB65983481F9FADF71AAFBBED67"><enum>(6)</enum><text>fails to pay claim maintenance fees or other moneys due and owing under this Act; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7DB4B74A7DD84356A7C4641385347A45"><enum>(7)</enum><text>with regard to plans conditionally approved under section 305(c)(2), fails to abate a violation to
the satisfaction of the Secretary concerned, or if the validity of the
violation is upheld on the appeal which formed the basis for the
conditional approval.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFD8A0B975C8644E28E0CE433510C1B82"><enum>(f)</enum><header>False statements; tampering</header><text>Any person who knowingly—</text>
<paragraph id="H8D9904D35FD341D08D526AE212B4A385"><enum>(1)</enum><text>makes any false material statement, representation, or certification in, or omits or conceals
material information from, or unlawfully alters, any mining claim, notice
of location, application, record, report, plan, or other documents filed
or required to be maintained under this Act; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H2F7E3A4055B3484CA224221290738A19"><enum>(2)</enum><text>falsifies, tampers with, renders inaccurate, or fails to install any monitoring device or method
required to be maintained under this Act,</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection">shall upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not
more than 2 years, or by both. If a conviction of a person is for a
violation committed after a first conviction of such person under this
subsection, punishment shall be by a fine of not more than $20,000 per day
of violation, or by imprisonment of not more than 4 years, or both. Each
day of continuing violation may be deemed a separate violation for
purposes of penalty assessments.</continuation-text></subsection><subsection id="H20C467E8F4E447D694EE68C86C712422"><enum>(g)</enum><header>Knowing violations</header><text>Any person who knowingly—</text>
<paragraph id="H05EA7E32F4B647D198F6138919448B5B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>engages in mineral activities without a permit required under title III; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA10FC2F8DDEE421385CE3AD8D44EBF00"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">violates any other requirement of a permit issued under this Act, or any condition or limitation
thereof,</text></paragraph><continuation-text continuation-text-level="subsection">shall upon conviction be punished by a fine of not less than $5,000 nor more than $50,000 per day
of violation, or by imprisonment for not more than 3 years, or both. If a
conviction of a person is for a violation committed after the first
conviction of such person under this subsection, punishment shall be a
fine of not less than $10,000 per day of violation, or by imprisonment of
not more than 6 years, or both.</continuation-text></subsection><subsection id="HE1446997A8A34CE38696374079995BF1"><enum>(h)</enum><header>Knowing and willful violations</header><text>Any person who knowingly and willfully commits an act for which a civil penalty is provided in
paragraph (1) of subsection (g) shall, upon conviction, be punished by a
fine of not more than $50,000, or by imprisonment for not more than 2
years, or both.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HE0BCF5DE5C654A0E8C272D7B0ECDDDD9"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Definition</header><text>For purposes of this section, the term <term>person</term> includes any officer, agent, or employee of a person.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H6EFE6F6336034DFB98DECA9BADE773A4"><enum>507.</enum><header>Regulations</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture shall issue such regulations as are necessary to
implement this Act. The regulations implementing title II, title III,
title IV, and title V that affect the Forest Service shall be joint
regulations issued by both Secretaries, and shall be issued no later than
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act.</text>
</section><section id="H2D30F06B5DBF468EBDCA2EF3991B0AA8"><enum>508.</enum><header>Effective date</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act, except as otherwise provided in
this Act.</text>
</section></subtitle><subtitle id="H6CBEA5B1B9124F79A20BA8EB3F6872DB"><enum>B</enum><header>Miscellaneous Provisions</header>
<section commented="no" id="H6AF7E6105EE94E1496261990CD8B6F20"><enum>511.</enum><header>Oil shale claims</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 2511(f) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/242">30 U.S.C. 242(f)</external-xref> <external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/102/486">Public Law 102–486</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="HD8E61C7313524EF7977D76B448F49F1B"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking <quote>as prescribed by the Secretary</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H37836E3E56304D659C31C8EE2AE5BD0B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting before the period the following: <quote>in the same manner as required by title II and title III of the <short-title>Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014</short-title></quote>.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HF65A252F8E984953A230AA50C2E373D0"><enum>512.</enum><header>Purchasing power adjustment</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Secretary shall adjust all location fees, claim maintenance rates, penalty amounts, and other
dollar amounts established in this Act for changes in the purchasing power
of the dollar no less frequently than every 5 years following the date of
enactment of this Act, employing the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
Consumers published by the Department of Labor as the basis for
adjustment, and rounding according to the adjustment process of conditions
of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (104 Stat.
890).</text>
</section><section id="H7F11DC1102BB486CB57F212A3C7EE02A"><enum>513.</enum><header>Savings clause</header>
<subsection id="HD843EABDCDDE478CBDE7FF963AD30A64"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Special Application of mining laws</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this Act shall be construed as repealing or modifying any Federal law, regulation,
order, or land use plan, in effect prior to the date of enactment of this
Act that prohibits or restricts the application of the general mining
laws, including laws that provide for special management criteria for
operations under the general mining laws as in effect prior to the date of
enactment of this Act, to the extent such laws provide for protection of
natural and cultural resources and the environment greater than required
under this Act, and any such prior law shall remain in force and effect
with respect to claims located (or proposed to be located) or converted
under this Act. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as applying to or
limiting mineral investigations, studies, or other mineral activities
conducted by any Federal or State agency acting in its governmental
capacity pursuant to other authority. Nothing in this Act shall affect or
limit any assessment, investigation, evaluation, or listing pursuant to
the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9601">42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.</external-xref>), or the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42
U.S.C. 3251 et seq.).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HC18B5A80573A4B0FB915B2013500EC15"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effect on other Federal laws</header><text>The provisions of this Act shall supersede the general mining laws, except for those parts of the
general mining laws respecting location of mining claims that are not
expressly modified by this Act. Except for the general mining laws,
nothing in this Act shall be construed as superseding, modifying,
amending, or repealing any provision of Federal law not expressly
superseded, modified, amended, or repealed by this Act. Nothing in this
Act shall be construed as altering, affecting, amending, modifying, or
changing, directly or indirectly, any law which refers to and provides
authorities or responsibilities for, or is administered by, the
Environmental Protection Agency or the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency, including the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
title XIV of the Public Health Service Act (the Safe Drinking Water Act),
the Clean Air Act, the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, the Toxic
Substances Control Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act, the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Motor
Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, the Federal Hazardous Substances
Act, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the Atomic Energy Act, the Noise
Control Act of 1972, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, the
Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, the Ocean Dumping
Act, the Environmental Research, Development, and Demonstration
Authorization Act, the Pollution Prosecution Act of 1990, and the Federal
Facilities Compliance Act of 1992, or any statute containing an amendment
to any of such Acts. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as modifying
or affecting any provision of the Native American Graves Protection and
Repatriation Act (<external-xref legal-doc="public-law" parsable-cite="pl/101/601">Public Law 101–601</external-xref>) or any provision of the American
Indian Religious Freedom Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1996">42 U.S.C. 1996</external-xref>), the National Historic
Preservation Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/16/470">16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.</external-xref>), and the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act of 1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/2000bb">42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq.</external-xref>).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HA87011EC9B694E0BAC224C9316AD9ADB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Protection of conservation areas</header><text>In order to protect the resources and values of National Conservation System units, the Secretary,
as appropriate, shall utilize authority under this Act and other
applicable law to the fullest extent necessary to prevent mineral
activities that could have an adverse impact on the resources or values
for which such units were established.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HC12ADCAC9E6345B9816A2539F8F02E05"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Sovereign immunity of Indian tribes</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to waive the sovereign immunity of any Indian
tribe.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="H8483FFBE33984BAFBDC9FFB187A0B69B"><enum>514.</enum><header>Availability of public records</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Copies of records, reports, inspection materials, or information obtained by the Secretary or the
Secretary of Agriculture under this Act shall be made immediately
available to the public, consistent with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/5/552">section 552</external-xref> of title 5, United
States Code, in central and sufficient locations in the county,
multicounty, and State area of mineral activity or reclamation so that
such items are conveniently available to residents in the area proposed or
approved for mineral activities and on the Internet.</text>
</section><section id="H75B3C15B279F4FB19CC8B3AC3F8B2035"><enum>515.</enum><header>Miscellaneous powers</header>
<subsection id="HB0A06A570C9D4A4A8B40E2F89F642D95"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In general</header><text>In carrying out his or her duties under this Act, the Secretary, or for National Forest System
lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, may conduct any investigation,
inspection, or other inquiry necessary and appropriate and may conduct,
after notice, any hearing or audit, necessary and appropriate to carrying
out his or her duties.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB6C49C4229514368883EC752B363C131"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Ancillary powers</header><text>In connection with any hearing, inquiry, investigation, or audit under this Act, the Secretary, or
for National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, is
authorized to take any of the following actions:</text>
<paragraph id="HFC19755618904FE1BFCB9A1E8D50EF9A"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Require, by special or general order, any person to submit in writing such affidavits and answers
to questions as the Secretary concerned may reasonably prescribe, which
submission shall be made within such reasonable period and under oath or
otherwise, as may be necessary.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB86163D10A8E4C3F8EE203ADE119B310"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Administer oaths.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7157F092513149A2B2D8AD64EB742013"><enum>(3)</enum><text>Require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of all books,
papers, records, documents, matter, and materials, as such Secretary may
request.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H9884F2AC77C447838FC3F613D96DC055"><enum>(4)</enum><text>Order testimony to be taken by deposition before any person who is designated by such Secretary and
who has the power to administer oaths, and to compel testimony and the
production of evidence in the same manner as authorized under paragraph
(3) of this subsection.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF13DAFA340924D229AF9463A4AA1AB5E"><enum>(5)</enum><text>Pay witnesses the same fees and mileage as are paid in like circumstances in the courts of the
United States.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H3426ACEB147D4DD68031D3C05C0A0D4F"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Enforcement</header><text>In cases of refusal to obey a subpoena served upon any person under this section, the district
court of the United States for any district in which such person is found,
resides, or transacts business, upon application by the Attorney General
at the request of the Secretary concerned and after notice to such person,
shall have jurisdiction to issue an order requiring such person to appear
and produce documents before the Secretary concerned. Any failure to obey
such order of the court may be punished by such court as contempt thereof
and subject to a penalty of up to $10,000 a day.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H19327C5073D84B4C84F7B8937B512120"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Entry and access</header><text>Without advance notice and upon presentation of appropriate credentials, the Secretary, or for
National Forest System lands, the Secretary of Agriculture, or any
authorized representative thereof—</text>
<paragraph id="HAAD96700EFF040368AD539E718A3D3EE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>shall have the right of entry to, upon, or through the site of any claim, mineral activities, or
any premises in which any records required to be maintained under this Act
are located;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF2939E7F71CC4C3D802C2316985E2560"><enum>(2)</enum><text>may at reasonable times, and without delay, have access to records, inspect any monitoring
equipment, or review any method of operation required under this Act;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB54831778DEA49F6B5A3CB260160FD74"><enum>(3)</enum><text>may engage in any work and do all things necessary or expedient to implement and administer the
provisions of this Act;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H01379C5417F546728FCA4A103306256F"><enum>(4)</enum><text>may, on any mining claim located under the general mining laws and maintained in compliance with
this Act, and without advance notice, stop and inspect any motorized form
of transportation that such Secretary has probable cause to believe is
carrying locatable minerals, concentrates, or products derived therefrom
from a claim site for the purpose of determining whether the operator of
such vehicle has documentation related to such locatable minerals,
concentrates, or products derived therefrom as required by law, if such
documentation is required under this Act; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H918943803D024867BB5DEC3852A81D39"><enum>(5)</enum><text>may, if accompanied by any appropriate law enforcement officer, or an appropriate law enforcement
officer alone, stop and inspect any motorized form of transportation which
is not on a claim site if he or she has probable cause to believe such
vehicle is carrying locatable minerals, concentrates, or products derived
therefrom from a claim site on Federal lands or allocated to such claim
site. Such inspection shall be for the purpose of determining whether the
operator of such vehicle has the documentation required by law, if such
documentation is required under this Act.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="HFC1A8CC9B5F04364A3E9B50B48FB1036"><enum>516.</enum><header>Multiple mineral development and surface resources</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The provisions of sections 4 and 6 of the Act of August 13, 1954 (30 U.S.C. 524 and 526), commonly
known as the Multiple Minerals Development Act, and the provisions of
section 4 of the Act of July 23, 1955 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/612">30 U.S.C. 612</external-xref>), shall apply to all
mining claims located under the general mining laws and maintained in
compliance with such laws and this Act.</text>
</section><section commented="no" id="H773A4A4D4DA74C149757EFA110AAAFDA"><enum>517.</enum><header>Mineral materials</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="H2DDBE84E0BFF4A49A24895E0C595A348"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Determinations</header><text>Section 3 of the Act of July 23, 1955 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/611">30 U.S.C. 611</external-xref>), is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="H24E5B4CEBBBA4D2CA10A61C59031807C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>(a)</quote> before the first sentence;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H3A4906ABDDCA4E679A8A0719ED39EBA0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting <quote>mineral materials, including but not limited to</quote> after <quote>varieties of</quote> in the first sentence;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HCA65D9C0D58649249253DD8A7F8571FF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by striking <quote>or cinders</quote> and inserting in lieu thereof <quote>cinders, and clay</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HA3A7918D08C54DF2AAF79EE987AB39C9"><enum>(4)</enum><text>by adding the following new subsection at the end thereof:</text>
<quoted-block id="HA53016DC1BD84D0EA47AB90A35D3AA6E" style="OLC">
<subsection commented="no" id="H9FF4496A263C4D0395870ACAA04019A5"><enum>(b)</enum>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="HBB9203DD9A4A4F25BB23493A398AFF57"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Subject to valid existing rights, after the date of enactment of the <short-title>Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014</short-title>, notwithstanding the reference to common varieties in subsection (a) and to the exception to such
term relating to a deposit of materials with some property giving it
distinct and special value, all deposits of mineral materials referred to
in such subsection, including the block pumice referred to in such
subsection, shall be subject to disposal only under the terms and
conditions of the Materials Act of 1947.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H7F8E89DC09E649D1A5D39F81F27AF3E0" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>For purposes of paragraph (1), the term <term>valid existing rights</term> means that a mining claim located for any such mineral material—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="H0EF59A642FDC455DA3D7D9B4A989953A"><enum>(A)</enum><text>had and still has some property giving it the distinct and special value referred to in subsection
(a), or as the case may be, met the definition of block pumice referred to
in such subsection;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H2AFC98DB91544B27BEDD44DBF22E2555"><enum>(B)</enum><text>was properly located and maintained under the general mining laws prior to the date of enactment of
the <short-title>Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014</short-title>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H6F6D19C1D3C84AF0A6EE5396B094D4AD"><enum>(C)</enum><text>was supported by a discovery of a valuable mineral deposit within the meaning of the general mining
laws as in effect immediately prior to the date of enactment of the <short-title>Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2014</short-title>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H112BA260B408471F9425579B9C792040"><enum>(D)</enum><text>that such claim continues to be valid under this Act.</text></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H742540717F92447A845CD7F1DB506499"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Mineral materials disposal clarification</header><text>Section 4 of the Act of July 23, 1955 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/612">30 U.S.C. 612</external-xref>), is amended—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="H4734312389734FAA99967ADDBED9F9E4"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection (b) by inserting <quote>and mineral material</quote> after <quote>vegetative</quote>; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H79E615EC4FB745A5B58447CEDD83839E"><enum>(2)</enum><text>in subsection (c) by inserting <quote>and mineral material</quote> after <quote>vegetative</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HEA646665C1F446C59607CDF511E280D8"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Conforming amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 1 of the Act of July 31, 1947, entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the disposal of materials on the public lands of the United States</quote> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/601">30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by striking <quote>common varieties of</quote> in the first sentence.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="HBAB520016EF847CBAF76D39B0D072625"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Short titles</header>
<paragraph commented="no" id="H83F247D5C08C4C7087FC76D37DC091F6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Surface resources</header><text>The Act of July 23, 1955, is amended by inserting after section 7 the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block id="HC20EF9280BC24E7C9DD03F3CABE0C839" style="traditional">
<section commented="no" id="H213CB14E88CB431BB69FC1BD4BA1C52C"><enum>8.</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Surface Resources Act of 1955</short-title></quote>.</text></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HE7050641E3374EA09354ABE57BC5D2CD"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Mineral materials</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Act of July 31, 1947, entitled <quote>An Act to provide for the disposal of materials on the public of the United States</quote> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/30/601">30 U.S.C. 601 et seq.</external-xref>) is amended by inserting after section 4 the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block id="H620745DE56994E65B3F39736CF64A8CE" style="traditional">
<section commented="no" id="H1BE7FD6DE1C34B939E83A1BE92E95DAB"><enum>5.</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Materials Act of 1947</short-title></quote>.</text></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="H108ED3FAA1EF4E558D26215A802CAC29"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Repeals</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H6ADEF9B787A846BC9AE968FFBC146DAC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>Subject to valid existing rights, the Act of August 4, 1892 (chapter 375; 27 Stat. 348; 30 U.S.C.
161), commonly known as the Building Stone Act, is hereby repealed.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H05CEF9CB79B247C7A9D171FDC47A8BD4" indent="up1"><enum>(2)</enum><text>Subject to valid existing rights, the Act of January 31, 1901 (chapter 186; 31 Stat. 745; 30 U.S.C.
162), commonly known as the Saline Placer Act, is hereby repealed.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><enum>VI</enum><header>Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines</header>
<section id="H326DF2CD819149A78A711C0647255B2E" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>601.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This title may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2014</short-title></quote>.</text>
</section><section id="HA2E14C90857D4B9AA38763B23BDDB67E"><enum>602.</enum><header>Findings; purposes</header>
<subsection id="H515E524DDEA64D75805C783E55BC0226"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Findings</header><text>Congress finds that—</text>
<paragraph id="H906837287F794EB3B9B0DFED3AD2EBFC"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the Federal Government and State governments have encouraged hardrock mining in the United States
through a wide variety of laws, policies, and actions;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8D9345202923479983E0747D4FD80C66"><enum>(2)</enum><text>mining operations produce metals and minerals that have important social benefits and values;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HD66F47D753CE49179CF573619A1364FD"><enum>(3)</enum><text>many areas in the United States at which historic mining operations took place are now the
locations of inactive and abandoned mine sites;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HC833DB1FA21A47FE8C7268C6B9EE9B14"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the mining activities that took place prior to the enactment of modern environmental laws often
disturbed public and private land, and those disturbances led to
environmental pollution, including the discharge of pollutants into
surface water and groundwater;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HB7D54F27FC1642F785C857A071DF9E53"><enum>(5)</enum><text>many of the individuals and corporate owners and operators of mines the actions of which caused the
pollution described in paragraph (4) are no longer alive or in existence;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H143A67167FE04C12902109BAFA2A34F8"><enum>(6)</enum><text>many of the historic mining sites have polluted the environment for more than a century and, unless
remedied, will continue to do so indefinitely;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H4D13D9C0377041DB96D4C5E044244627"><enum>(7)</enum><text>unabated discharges from inactive and abandoned mines will continue to pollute surface water,
groundwater, and soils;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H61E4868A1487444694A19B9229FEDB93"><enum>(8)</enum><text>many of the streams and water bodies impacted by acid mine drainage are important resources for
fish and wildlife, recreation, drinking water, agriculture, and other
public purposes;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H859D5B0723794142B3DAB5AF97714D04"><enum>(9)</enum><text>some of the remaining owners and operators of historic mine sites do not have adequate resources to
properly conduct the remediation of the mine sites under applicable
environmental laws;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA1D98284787E41C79266A8298DC79189"><enum>(10)</enum><text>from time to time, States, individuals, and companies are willing to remediate historic mine sites
for the public good as Good Samaritans, despite the fact that those
States, individuals, and companies are not legally required to do so;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HF2F452FC963443B3B1889006FB0F94E1"><enum>(11)</enum><text>Good Samaritan remediation activities may—</text>
<subparagraph id="H69B636F45C084545AB880038CBB59A10"><enum>(A)</enum><text>vary in size and complexity;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF53BC8C609384E0FACA5E11836BE677B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>reflect a myriad of methods by which mine residue may be cleaned up; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF2B50D93871F4AD5ABF54B2419E44A66"><enum>(C)</enum><text>include, among other activities—</text>
<clause id="H2241A2A82EB64A57BA8B4AC620C705DB"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the removal, relocation, or management of tailings or other waste piles;</text>
</clause><clause id="H40C734CC58C8473FA0148274EA46B3EE"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>passive or active water treatment; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H589E86F24F97493085F318C07905C1C9"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>runoff or runon controls;</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD7057E4C498E4DF1B0EE2F838D090366"><enum>(12)</enum><text>the potential obligations, requirements, and liabilities under the <act-name parsable-cite="FWPCA">Federal Water Pollution Control Act</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/33/1251">33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.</external-xref>) that may attach to Good Samaritans as the result of the conduct by the
Good Samaritans of remediation activities can dissuade potential Good
Samaritans from acting for the public good;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HAB0E0D29CEA64F33A88BCBA896E11AD0"><enum>(13)</enum><text>it is in the interest of the United States, the States, and local communities to remediate historic
mine sites—</text>
<subparagraph id="H39436AE5E0924E1BAF51F12E4FDDAEB1"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in appropriate circumstances and to the maximum extent practicable; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H02195CAF72A04B2C8371D8B294E0A05B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>so that the detrimental environmental impacts of the historic mine sites are lessened in the
future; and</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCC45956371004FC1946ED5D4EE6DE96A"><enum>(14)</enum><text>if appropriate protections are provided to Good Samaritans, Good Samaritans will have a greater
incentive to remediate historic mine sites for the public good.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFF1ACA545CC24C918F5CAE8B489EF1D8"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Purposes</header><text>The purposes of this title are—</text>
<paragraph id="HB0FD81E58368450EB1F0A83EAC65D07C"><enum>(1)</enum><text>to encourage the partial or complete remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the
public good by individuals or entities that are not legally responsible
for the remediation;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H95619AB962034258856E85EEA9B04B0B"><enum>(2)</enum><text>to allow any individual or entity not legally responsible for environmental conditions relating to
an inactive or abandoned mine site—</text>
<subparagraph id="HFA77404BFBA54A0D9A59DB2EFDC6AB03"><enum>(A)</enum><text>to make further progress toward the goal of meeting water quality standards in all water of the
United States; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB5A853636A8D4636ABF97C16F818A474"><enum>(B)</enum><text>to improve other environmental media affected by past mining activities at the inactive or
abandoned mine site without incurring any obligation or liability with
respect to the <act-name parsable-cite="FWPCA">Federal Water Pollution Control Act</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/33/1251">33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.</external-xref>);</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1D358D7D30DD41FEBEC3A79F76A382E6"><enum>(3)</enum><text>to ensure that remediation activities performed by Good Samaritans—</text>
<subparagraph id="HF00E57E4FC594690A6812A8184554308"><enum>(A)</enum><text>result in actual and significant environmental benefits; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9D8407F59EE1415CA6B895539C7F5A5A"><enum>(B)</enum><text>are carried out—</text>
<clause id="HDA2F9C603ED1474CB9FAD4CA7C2103D8"><enum>(i)</enum><text>with the approval and agreement, and at the discretion, of affected Federal, State, and tribal
authorities;</text>
</clause><clause id="H63DAFDBB302147459437DF8019A9C50C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in a manner that enables the public to conduct a review of, and submit comments relating to, the
remediation activities; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H30E4B11F5BAB41CB9EE1980E7676FDBE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in a manner that is beneficial to the environment and each community affected by the remediation
activities; and</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H28A5421A487F4034BC0B582D897CA911"><enum>(4)</enum><text>to further the innovations of, and cooperation among, the Federal Government, State and tribal
governments, private individuals, and corporations to accelerate efforts
relating to conservation and environmental restoration.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="H7F8E899C8BF5407EBA73EEEA9402B0AF"><enum>603.</enum><header>Scope</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Nothing in this title (or an amendment made by this title)—</text>
<paragraph id="HC2A98F824A5547EBBD82749E11466D08"><enum>(1)</enum><text>reduces any existing liability; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H711361AB196345C38190ED8F4761A9AC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>facilitates the conduct of any mining or processing other than the conduct of any mining or
processing that is required for the remediation of historic mine residue
for the public good.</text>
</paragraph></section><section id="HEECB1A993B31423DA88504175C47DBA0"><enum>604.</enum><header>Good samaritan discharge permits</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/33/1342">33 U.S.C. 1342</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the
end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HD25DF28834D943EDBCA4FBCE946CA15B" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H63352590EF69470EA9D699E9EFAAFB10"><enum>(s)</enum><header>Good samaritan discharge permits</header>
<paragraph id="H32C8533EA31847DE8127B295FC6E1E2C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this subsection:</text>
<subparagraph id="HFA72EC2D2BDD4C6B84C1556F2C8EBE0E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Cooperating person</header>
<clause id="H7AD0B5392EFF42E9AD189083D5425390"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>cooperating person</term> means any person that—</text>
<subclause id="HEFF7687DF6964780802548D341D9A56F"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is a Good Samaritan;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HFA3906EB38C74BDD85747D895C5A7BC8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>assists a permittee in the remediation of an inactive or abandoned mine site; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HFCBF312524DE45CEBCC18C7BE4C4E2E4"><enum>(III)</enum><text>is identified in a Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under paragraph (2).</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HAE74691BBE984468A9AA5E4AAF4736DB"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Inclusion</header><text>The term <term>cooperating person</term> includes the Federal Government.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HED12BA3868F248F99F59DB14CAD8A9B2"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Eligible applicant</header><text>The term <term>eligible applicant</term> means a person that—</text>
<clause id="H8E4DF6CCA3504EDA99658846E4E6D88B"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is a Good Samaritan; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HCF9CEB834D77463A93A9621C5D13E21A"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>proposes a project, the purpose of which is to remediate, in whole or in part, actual or threatened
pollution caused by historic mine residue at an inactive or abandoned mine
site.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H111F77736284434F8B1F0D225AA17D50"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Good Samaritan</header><text>The term <term>Good Samaritan</term> means a person that, with respect to historic mine residue at an inactive or abandoned mine site—</text>
<clause id="H72FC8857B54B4724969E028D2C3D86C6"><enum>(i)</enum><text>had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue;</text>
</clause><clause id="HAFB72754EC7E41A69140E630C899AC18"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>had no role in creating any environmental pollution caused by the historic mine residue; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HABBE527483D7436294DC441F2BABA908"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>is not liable under any Federal, State, tribal, or local law for the remediation of the historic
mine residue.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1DB3B696F6014EF48EF273618D75A198"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Historic mine residue</header>
<clause id="H08516C0D27EA4F8187DF68E93DDFFB26"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>historic mine residue</term> means mine residue or any condition resulting from activities at an inactive or abandoned mine
site prior to October 18, 1972, that—</text>
<subclause id="H3E317AFD6922450087409BBA43E079A9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>causes or contributes to the actual or threatened discharge of pollutants from the inactive or
abandoned mine site; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HE55177BE5F3F4EEBA979E9426BEBA87F"><enum>(II)</enum><text>otherwise pollutes the environment.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HEB695C9D757A4CA2AB558B250843843B"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Inclusions</header><text>The term <term>historic mine residue</term> includes—</text>
<subclause id="HDC2BD459509F4988A07C82E12C0629C8"><enum>(I)</enum><text>ores and minerals that—</text>
<item id="H8A02DA8B33C34D6FAD4EF7F5A50EA21B"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>were mined during the active operation of an inactive or abandoned mine site; and</text>
</item><item id="HBE20892082CB4EB7B6D7B6B51508300E"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>contribute to acid mine drainage or other environmental pollution;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="H9518454278BF4504BF1B94611F399CF8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>equipment (including materials in equipment);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HF2FDCC77C1D74414B63C9A8C35AD21DB"><enum>(III)</enum><text>any waste or material resulting from any extraction, beneficiation, or other processing activity
that occurred during the active operation of an inactive or abandoned mine
site; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HC8CD3A0AC8B34B54A3A2AB18BB6F8CDF"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>any acidic or otherwise polluted flow in surface water or groundwater that originates from an
inactive or abandoned mine site.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCD3070AB8FF3403D812D765379F1D079"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Identifiable owner or operator</header><text>The term <term>identifiable owner or operator</term> means a person that is—</text>
<clause id="H78377491E40742D19E62B7225BE09447"><enum>(i)</enum><text>legally responsible under section 301 for a discharge that originates from an inactive or abandoned
mine site; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H8D249239257743B9A708A90B7FF74256"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>financially capable of complying with each requirement described in this section and section 301.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H045EB8FC9D7F42A5AC4EB5AC44F45B81"><enum>(F)</enum><header>Inactive or abandoned mine site</header>
<clause id="H52B6EE0B68E948069FD1F770E0B4D21B"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>The term <term>inactive or abandoned mine site</term> means a mine site (including associated facilities) that—</text>
<subclause id="HB2E9BD34DA8A4951B3F6F3B9994DEAB4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>is located in the United States;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H052597DAFA45444AB728672FADC3B356"><enum>(II)</enum><text>was used for the production of a mineral other than coal;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H0EFF77D2D9CC41C1B7FB42BDBAC5CC5E"><enum>(III)</enum><text>has historic mine residue; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HFDF0E139881A472E8B384A834A959C49"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>is no longer actively mined on the date on which an eligible applicant submits to a permitting
authority a remediation plan relating to an application for a Good
Samaritan discharge permit under paragraph (3)(B) for the remediation of
the mine site.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H7CCC23635D5C404DA8FB10FF20A78354"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Exclusions</header><text>The term <term>inactive or abandoned mine site</term> does not include a mine site (including associated facilities) that is—</text>
<subclause id="HC9A3792CF23B453DAD3438E4D77AA35D"><enum>(I)</enum><text>in a temporary shutdown;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H771124D7223A4299BE000DCF80091795"><enum>(II)</enum><text>included on the National Priorities List developed by the President in accordance with section
105(a)(8)(B) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,
and Liability Act of 1980 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9605">42 U.S.C. 9605(a)(8)(B)</external-xref>); or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H94B1AA1BCE714B8AA0E49BA45E3CBC21"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the subject of an ongoing or planned remedial action carried out in accordance with the <act-name parsable-cite="CERCL">Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/9601">42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.</external-xref>).</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0955104C30BB4B179FC8DFA46301BE03"><enum>(G)</enum><header>Indian tribe</header><text>The term <term>Indian tribe</term> has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the <act-name parsable-cite="ISDA">Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act</act-name> (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/25/450b">25 U.S.C. 450b</external-xref>).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD3C8401F638945F78E9C41042E69EDAA"><enum>(H)</enum><header>Permittee</header><text>The term <term>permittee</term> means a person that is issued a Good Samaritan discharge permit under this subsection.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA5EF0B7900CC4792A12630C8FAD06DC0"><enum>(I)</enum><header>Permitting authority</header>
<clause id="H6CA34DAE3F284E3099A528EAF3E81DA7"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in clause (ii), the term <term>permitting authority</term> means the Administrator.</text>
</clause><clause id="HD57EF7D919454F3B869D429499FBF54D"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>In the case of a State or Indian tribe with an approved permitting program under paragraph (2)(B),
the term <term>permitting authority</term> means the head of the permitting program of the State or Indian tribe.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H70D90AD932BA4C85A53846EE35E9B7F5"><enum>(J)</enum><header>Person</header><text>The term <term>person</term> includes—</text>
<clause id="H721B08DC4FB44F8AB7C631F1D773FA48"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an individual;</text>
</clause><clause id="HBBAFE1E8BB5F442CAD3753745F08C963"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a firm;</text>
</clause><clause id="H46DCAFCC459B426A9AC29D470A5B0D26"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>a corporation;</text>
</clause><clause id="HBB3586F037494CD3A882237314DE78B0"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>an association;</text>
</clause><clause id="H701BA37B407B43D895E18714EA7BF2DE"><enum>(v)</enum><text>a partnership;</text>
</clause><clause id="H9508F15F3D8F43A9BF5415853CBCDC91"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>a consortium;</text>
</clause><clause id="H9C3639D3E6E749E89981AF337B151FF9"><enum>(vii)</enum><text>a joint venture;</text>
</clause><clause id="H87B03F459F7541658828CFABFAFFD92E"><enum>(viii)</enum><text>a commercial entity;</text>
</clause><clause id="H380C1AB24D44486B80A52ED16FF506E1"><enum>(ix)</enum><text>a nonprofit organization;</text>
</clause><clause id="H764046894F2A498283E52AF663276141"><enum>(x)</enum><text>the Federal Government;</text>
</clause><clause id="HAAA508DD84B24E5993CE0EEDFB56A567"><enum>(xi)</enum><text>a State (including a political subdivision of a State);</text>
</clause><clause id="H7F03FD8BA2914353BCFEC27B7D4D5446"><enum>(xii)</enum><text>an interstate entity;</text>
</clause><clause id="H3B1F5551C1904EA38E1237A69FD1193D"><enum>(xiii)</enum><text>a commission; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HC9D0A0EC089646029A92965C34F690CF"><enum>(xiv)</enum><text>an Indian tribe.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H41D5F636FF8D45D8BFD4EDF4A3019169"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Good samaritan discharge permits</header>
<subparagraph id="HB96CC4F5331D46E988BD2A9FBE0725B1"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A permitting authority may issue a Good Samaritan discharge permit to an eligible applicant in
concurrence, if applicable, with—</text>
<clause id="HF534685C2EBA4DD59E7F4E14419B6998"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the State in which the proposed inactive or abandoned mine site remediation project is located; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H1BFD1991CF6D49348A0999735767E985"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the Federal agency or Indian tribe that owns or has jurisdiction over the site at which the
proposed inactive or abandoned mine site remediation project is located.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7049639E2A6548D88183635D5EAC3A57"><enum>(B)</enum><header>State or tribal programs</header><text>The Administrator shall approve a State or tribal program for the issuance of Good Samaritan
discharge permits if—</text>
<clause id="H6E04CD9EAA1640E39D90FD42FEDF1592"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the State or Indian tribe has, as of the date of enactment of this subsection, authority to issue a
permit under subsection (b); and</text>
</clause><clause id="HD06E51793F8742B0879E19EB4232EBD5"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the State or Indian tribe requests such authority.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HAB47FED9C65C4CAC82340F93D1862259"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Permit process</header>
<subparagraph id="H0BBB2B58FF2B48FA888D6D1CEB9F4064"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Scope</header><text>An eligible applicant may apply for a Good Samaritan discharge permit to conduct remediation
activities at any inactive or abandoned mine site from which there is, or
may be, a discharge or a threatened discharge of pollutants into any water
of the United States.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H75734596FCED4E42900EEA1999F3B84A"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Remediation plan</header><text>To apply for a Good Samaritan discharge permit under subparagraph (A), an eligible applicant shall
submit to the permitting authority an application that contains a
remediation plan that, to the extent known by the eligible applicant as of
the date on which the application is submitted, contains—</text>
<clause id="HF4DD3FAF88564556A9E84025D87B9419"><enum>(i)</enum><text>an identification of—</text>
<subclause id="HE45CC945D0CC45179BAF7AF73A521416"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the eligible applicant (including any cooperating person) with respect to the remediation plan;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HFEA364B6772D441C8DD8176BF29F6A71"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the mine site that is the subject of the remediation plan (including such documentation as the
permitting authority determines to be sufficient to demonstrate to the
permitting authority that the mine site is an inactive or abandoned mine
site); and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H37FE67B242A04F86AD801F4984736C90"><enum>(III)</enum><text>each body of water of the United States that is affected by actual or threatened discharges from
the inactive or abandoned mine site;</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HE4AC8AA96A094E31BFDDCAEFB3967A4D"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a description of—</text>
<subclause id="HC24C1A5D70B04209A661909C53BAE3E9"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the baseline conditions of each body of water described in clause (i)(III) as of the date on which
the eligible applicant submits the application, including—</text>
<item id="H27972BF192934D3FB6FF995AE2453A1E"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>the nature and extent of any adverse impact on the quality of each body of water caused by the
drainage of historic mine residue or other discharges from the inactive or
abandoned mine site; and</text>
</item><item id="H80D1EFBC17F2478C8FC13539DBC1D32E"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>as applicable, the level of any pollutant in each body of water that has resulted in an adverse
impact described in item (aa);</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HCA875DC26DE54DB08B7029D149AB8031"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the conditions of the inactive or abandoned mine site that cause adverse impacts to the quality of
each body of water described in clause (i)(III);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HB76AF851DAA24D14948E5CB4752A35B2"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the reasonable efforts taken by the eligible applicant to identify identifiable owners or operators
of the inactive or abandoned mine site that is the subject of the
application;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HB96870087AA546B5ABCDEBEEF1BA0E5F"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>each remediation goal and objective proposed by the eligible applicant, including—</text>
<item id="H273ADD879B564499B06BBD21C1D41EB5"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>each pollutant to be addressed by the remediation plan; and</text>
</item><item id="H85D9F6D047A8496186874AA0C016B984"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>each action that the eligible applicant proposes to take that, to the maximum extent reasonable and
practicable under the circumstances, will assist in the attainment of each
applicable water quality standard;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HF57F3BE2D13449888694FF7D584EDFBF"><enum>(V)</enum><text>the practices (including a schedule and estimated completion date for the implementation of each
practice) that are proposed by the eligible applicant to meet each
remediation goal and objective described in subclause (IV), including—</text>
<item id="H13799293881E47ADA4DCCF0F39D7FF79"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>in the case of a new remediation project, the preliminary system design and construction,
operation, and maintenance plans relating to the new remediation project;
and</text>
</item><item id="H149CF94E1AF542CAAE2246F70C3C61DE"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>in the case of an existing remediation project, available system design and construction,
operation, and maintenance plans and any planned improvements with respect
to the existing remediation project;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="H64B8FECBAB154992B633E166F3DFD40D"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>any proposed recycling or reprocessing of historic mine residue to be conducted by the eligible
applicant (including a description of how each proposed recycling or
reprocessing activity relates to the remediation of an inactive or
abandoned mine site);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H757AF3C503334A28804FDB69C05853BE"><enum>(VII)</enum><text>the monitoring or other forms of assessment that will be undertaken by the eligible applicant to
evaluate the success of the practices described in subclause (V) during
and after the implementation of the remediation plan, with respect to the
baseline conditions;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HB7496F0591284376A2AD95106768740A"><enum>(VIII)</enum><text>each contingency plan that is designed for responding to unplanned adverse events (including the
practices to be implemented to achieve each remediation goal and objective
described in subclause (IV));</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H61CD0728C91F467592D797EAB0F585B8"><enum>(IX)</enum><text>the legal authority of the eligible applicant to enter, and conduct activities at, the inactive or
abandoned mine site that is the subject of the remediation plan; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H42E9C5459B804F0D96EA75106745E945"><enum>(X)</enum><text>any public outreach activity to be conducted by the eligible applicant;</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H30012316C9CC4756898F35BF06B25495"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>an explanation of the manner by which the practices described in clause (ii)(V) are expected to
achieve each remediation goal and objective described in clause (ii)(IV);</text>
</clause><clause id="H02C1CF36846A4948977B1DB5853F7F54"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>a schedule for the periodic reporting by the eligible applicant with respect to any progress in
implementing the remediation plan;</text>
</clause><clause id="H9B99FA1D010C4A4F8C577F8917CC98BD"><enum>(v)</enum><text>a budget for the remediation plan that includes a description of each funding source that will
support the implementation of the remediation plan, including—</text>
<subclause id="H818DF04BD9874644A23061E6B907037A"><enum>(I)</enum><text>each practice described in clause (ii)(VIII);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H0C3EF833651E4E8EBA98C9FC38FAD9B4"><enum>(II)</enum><text>each action described in clause (ii)(IV)(bb); and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HC30842FD48D94A7E98A16314CAC8AB86"><enum>(III)</enum><text>each monitoring or other appropriate activity described in clause (ii)(VII); and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HDEC3BB6EA9E5457EB223F40592B02173"><enum>(vi)</enum><text>any other additional information requested by the Administrator to clarify the remediation plan and
each proposed activity covered by the remediation plan.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2C2A13D057A94DBD86C12AC4EDC56F16"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Certification of plan</header><text>An application for a Good Samaritan discharge permit submitted by an eligible applicant to a
permitting authority under subparagraph (B) shall be signed and certified
in a manner consistent with <external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/40/122">section 122.22</external-xref> of title 40, Code of Federal
Regulations.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H191AC91DFB58412AA9502B7D57DF4D9D"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Investigative measures</header>
<clause id="H893787A5021B4612BE08BB2BEA002261"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit may include a program of investigative measures to be completed
prior to the remediation of the inactive or abandoned mine site that is
the subject of the permit if the permitting authority, upon the receipt of
the application of an eligible applicant for a Good Samaritan discharge
permit, determines the program of investigative measures to be
appropriate.</text>
</clause><clause id="HB4E6323C84394AFA88B1393A4443044F"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Program requirements</header><text>Any water sampling included in the program of investigative measures described in clause (i) shall
be conducted by an eligible applicant in accordance with any applicable
method described in part 136 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations.</text>
</clause><clause id="H23BA8DA1472A4950A7E7FC669FA24055"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Requirements relating to samples</header><text>In conducting a program of investigative measures described in clause (i), an eligible applicant
shall—</text>
<subclause id="H9E1A219176514AD9810FB7F89711686F"><enum>(I)</enum><text>ensure that each sample collected under the program is representative of the conditions present at
the inactive or abandoned mine site that is the subject of the program;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H8D4CD4C7C5754FE89D52E825DE3C10E8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>retain records of all sampling events for a period of not less than 3 years.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HBB1D8270D86E4237B074332F90E08A79"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Initial plan</header>
<subclause id="H787D54A1416B4933A7F7FE32FD42E174"><enum>(I)</enum><header>In general</header><text>If an eligible applicant proposes to conduct a program of investigative measures, the eligible
applicant shall submit to the permitting authority a plan that contains,
to the extent known by the eligible applicant as of the date on which the
eligible applicant submits the application—</text>
<item id="HE714D2E3106F427B9FFB964BEE2BC472"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>each description required under subclauses (I), (II), and (IV) through (VIII) of subparagraph
(B)(ii);</text>
</item><item id="HADB8C9221CDF4CFAAA19C87564FBF5D9"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>the explanation required under subparagraph (B)(iii);</text>
</item><item id="HE471E2621EAD4A7C8D0FB870E4B12C97"><enum>(cc)</enum><text>the schedule required under subparagraph (B)(iv); and</text>
</item><item id="HADBAD0B629464B26BF75267DF1D2A431"><enum>(dd)</enum><text>the budget required under subparagraph (B)(v).</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="H48CBFA250B564789B5E6ED65D2F70F1E"><enum>(II)</enum><header>Responsibility to supplement descriptions</header><text>An eligible applicant that conducts a program of investigative measures shall, based on the results
of the program, supplement each item described in subclause (I), as
necessary.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HCAED84F3D3554E2C9C918E153E0B58E7"><enum>(v)</enum><header>Report of results</header><text>The results of the program of investigative measures shall be—</text>
<subclause id="H6E24DBB62D3443D6BD382FAAAAF2CC90"><enum>(I)</enum><text>detailed in a report for the permitting agency; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H67520D2BD6374EAB8A797E46091E76B8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>made available by the applicant to any member of the public that requests the report.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HB2F397C1B5874966B2B649CA79F72DD6"><enum>(vi)</enum><header>Permit modification</header><text>Based upon the results of the investigative measures, a Good Samaritan discharge permit may be
modified pursuant to the permit procedures described in this subsection.</text>
</clause><clause id="HDE88ECC75446441D988730E4B54EED74"><enum>(vii)</enum><header>Option to decline remediation</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit may allow the permittee to decline to undertake remediation based
on the results of the investigative sampling program, if—</text>
<subclause id="HBA55130BB93A47F59BE39E62869B75AE"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the program of investigative measures is authorized under this subparagraph; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H6060B70947CC4A89B4271022592575EF"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the activities under the program of investigative measures have not resulted in surface water
quality conditions, taken as a whole, that are worse than the baseline
condition of bodies of water described in subparagraph (B)(ii)(I).</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H55C5E64EE24B4EEBAFE80BB761F7248F"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Review of application</header>
<clause id="H1A72256DF1C344AB9A8BD4F3D4D73E48"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Initial review</header><text>The permitting authority shall—</text>
<subclause id="HA9B745A248DE4253A06FC5B60B9D802E"><enum>(I)</enum><text>review each application submitted by an eligible applicant for a Good Samaritan discharge permit;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H388989C0F93E499D8DDE04B2D6D2C7A3"><enum>(II)</enum><text>provide to the public, with respect to the Good Samaritan discharge permit—</text>
<item id="H3DDE1101A00742A187EA87B32FBBE603"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>notice and a reasonable opportunity to comment; and</text>
</item><item id="H207AFD0CBE22497881A6CA239605EDF0"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>a public hearing;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HBA118AD16032421CB66630E351065585"><enum>(III)</enum><text>if the Administrator is the permitting authority, provide a copy of the application to each
affected State, Indian tribe, and other Federal agency; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H03A59F07481F44A88EDDBA4035035CA3"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>determine whether the application for the Good Samaritan discharge permit meets each requirement
described in subparagraph (B).</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HE15678DFD17E415283F73CBFE0154290"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Requirements not met</header><text>If the permitting authority determines that an application for a Good Samaritan discharge permit
does not meet each requirement described in subparagraph (B), the
permitting authority shall—</text>
<subclause id="HCEAB7D0E2D5D4234A904B2F38259863B"><enum>(I)</enum><text>notify the eligible applicant that the application is disapproved and explain the reasons for the
disapproval; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H9A6E580082314B27810336E5327C9137"><enum>(II)</enum><text>allow the eligible applicant to submit a revised application.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H269E201091294DC4985142838738ACCD"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Requirements met</header><text>If the permitting authority determines that an application for a Good Samaritan discharge permit
meets each requirement described in subparagraph (B), the permitting
authority shall notify the eligible applicant that the application is
accepted.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5C99129FE5614B2AB5EAB10552880742"><enum>(F)</enum><header>Permit issuance</header><text>After notice and opportunity for public comment with respect to a Good Samaritan discharge permit
proposed by a permitting authority to be issued under this subsection
(including any additional requirement that the permitting authority
determines would facilitate the implementation of this subsection), the
permitting authority may issue a permit to an eligible applicant if—</text>
<clause id="H7A4983AA28EA447686E45BCE388245F9"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the permitting authority determines that—</text>
<subclause id="H595ED0EC1A9B414ABA42174A5A09BD8C"><enum>(I)</enum><text>relative to the resources identified by the eligible applicant for funding the proposed remediation
activity, the eligible applicant has made a reasonable effort to identify
identifiable owners or operators under subparagraph (B)(ii)(III);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H86CBA6F994D84644AA6B60AA8EE0FB3D"><enum>(II)</enum><text>no identifiable owner or operator exists (except, with respect to Federal land, where the only
identifiable owner or operator is the Federal Government);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HCF83F77F01334911A1237175A26A703F"><enum>(III)</enum><text>taking into consideration each funding source (including the amount of each funding source)
identified by the eligible applicant for the proposed remediation activity
in accordance with subparagraph (B)(v), the remediation plan of the
eligible applicant demonstrates that the implementation of the remediation
plan will—</text>
<item id="HE6182FFFE2AB4306BD41C1FC6060A81E"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>assist in the attainment of applicable water quality standards to the extent reasonable and
practicable under the circumstances; and</text>
</item><item id="H3BA862E3C4F2452FAC078F33BC658ACD"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>not result in water quality that is worse than the baseline water condition described in
subparagraph (B)(ii)(I);</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="H95092A132C4348BFA13AE4F6BC05FA3C"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>the eligible applicant has provided adequate evidence of financial resources that will enable the
eligible applicant to complete the proposed project of the eligible
applicant; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H47DDCBAF6B5847F3B754F57218024498"><enum>(V)</enum><text>the proposed project of the eligible applicant meets the requirements of this section;</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H7DE43806CE4A4DBCB754B5F3050A269C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>any Federal, State, or tribal land management agency with jurisdiction over any inactive or
abandoned mine site that is the subject of the proposed permit, or any
public trustee for natural resources affected by historic mine residue
associated with any inactive or abandoned mine site that is the subject of
the proposed permit, does not object to the issuance of the permit; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H2EDEEDE11DB64A15B05F74B00493B6A0"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>if the Administrator is the permitting authority, the affected State or Indian tribe concurs with
the issuance of the permit.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H32129C6B66CA4535BB658FAACDD26188"><enum>(G)</enum><header>Deadline relating to approval or denial of application</header><text>Not later than 180 days after the date of receipt by a permitting authority of an application for a
Good Samaritan discharge permit that the permitting authority determines
to be complete, the permitting authority shall—</text>
<clause id="H34C6B21B25FE4398BD434733B1641B25"><enum>(i)</enum><text>issue to the eligible applicant a Good Samaritan discharge permit; or</text>
</clause><clause id="H3DFCB953F37A41A9B6431E0C7B5E0AB5"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>deny the application of the eligible applicant for a Good Samaritan discharge permit.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H6549A6FD59904992B75A2B28C7447A09"><enum>(H)</enum><header>Modification of permit</header>
<clause id="H3526DE3F874B4A24BA1A8F03CFB395C3"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Approval and disapproval process</header><text>In accordance with clause (ii), after the date of receipt by a permitting authority of a written
request by a permittee to modify the Good Samaritan discharge permit of
the permittee, the permitting authority shall approve or disapprove the
request for modification.</text>
</clause><clause id="H0F5639011F704447B47FCAED2DB07C7F"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Permit modification</header><text>A permit modification that is approved by a permitting authority under this subparagraph shall be—</text>
<subclause id="HC6CB4C38E6B44155B3B2E4A35145DEFC"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by agreement between the permittee and the permitting authority and, if the Administrator is the
permitting authority, the affected State or Indian tribe;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HE22FC404DCE546E1A7F64BE39941F63D"><enum>(II)</enum><text>subject to—</text>
<item id="HC8528AA69CDF4D8B8B01EE8B7EDDE5D9"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>a period of public notice and comment; and</text>
</item><item id="H4B2B531CB81A420083A788A3E4022E30"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>a public hearing;</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HEE4A7F78C0E34AE39FD6AA5540483E14"><enum>(III)</enum><text>in compliance with each standard described in subparagraph (F)(i)(III); and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H1A0C7DACAD5F4534B657F93AEA19C25C"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>immediately reflected in, and applicable to, the Good Samaritan discharge permit.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE2030AD7965E4EF6B5558213C52A489E"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Contents of permits</header>
<subparagraph id="H35EBDCF85A8F4AAF89FF7B3907E2D89E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit shall—</text>
<clause id="H64D1F7E2282242ABA2B8DE37ECA4C6BF"><enum>(i)</enum><text>contain—</text>
<subclause id="HFE9FF2F7757C4D24880059EB10847E26"><enum>(I)</enum><text>a remediation plan approved by the permitting authority; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H2A3B93B93BE040688947B15107EC70D2"><enum>(II)</enum><text>any additional requirement that the permitting authority establishes by regulation under paragraph
(10); and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H68BE4D337CD84FBAB27097101CE4D83E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>provide for compliance with, and implementation of, the remediation plan and any additional
requirement described in clause (i)(II).</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2A223C57AAE04B809390D2264F1BA4AB"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Scope</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit shall authorize only those activities that are required for the
remediation of historic mine residue at an inactive or abandoned mine
site, as determined by the permitting authority.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5BB47571F3044609A322D91D5E74E35D"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Review</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit shall contain a schedule for review, to be conducted by the
permitting authority, to determine compliance by the permittee with each
condition and limitation of the permit.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCC45A010EE1C41EB8C09D67358431F35"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Effect of permit compliance</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="H9AA888D18E8A4A659078FB2C6C9078F7"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Compliance with Act</header>
<clause commented="no" id="HDB92ABA6C1104FE0B4AAB4ABC989E042"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under this subsection shall authorize the permittee, and
any cooperating persons, to carry out each activity described in the Good
Samaritan discharge permit.</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="H2B87BD0192EE49BE936B590543EA75B6"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Compliance with permit</header><text>Compliance by the permittee, and any cooperating persons, with respect to the Good Samaritan
discharge permit shall constitute compliance with this Act.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H551EAE2DDCAF4A889A7E739D8A27C54B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Scope of liability</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (6), the issuance of a Good Samaritan discharge permit to a
permittee relieves the permittee, and any cooperating person, of each
obligation and liability under this Act.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HE40F213592764794A1A6F927898B98DB"><enum>(6)</enum><header>Failure to comply</header><text>If a permittee, or any cooperating person fails to comply with any condition or limitation of the
permit, the permittee, or cooperating person, shall be subject to
liability only under section 309.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H39F9F048A4394EECBDC329D82C76EF99"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Termination of permit</header>
<subparagraph id="H6D6362C93F864DD38233636FD92AA1A6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>A permitting authority shall terminate a Good Samaritan discharge permit if—</text>
<clause id="H21ECD90797AF46E9AB6D5D54F726291F"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the permittee successfully completes the implementation of the remediation plan; or</text>
</clause><clause id="HA71B364B45DC4616B02DF9ADF55C40E5"><enum>(ii)</enum>
<subclause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="H49091F56DEC94EC582A5EC97277EF113"><enum>(I)</enum><text>any discharge covered by the Good Samaritan discharge permit becomes subject to a permit issued for
other development that is not part of the implementation of the
remediation plan;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HF5D6639D4B7649EFA7C9A85A23013D14" indent="up1"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the permittee seeking termination of coverage, and any cooperating person with respect to the
remediation plan of the permittee, is not a participant in the
development; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H6E59407D6A634DBDA7751F839D4337EB" indent="up1"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the permitting authority, upon request of the permittee, agrees that the permit should be
terminated.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB2D1290EDC3F4307A4151E38B573BA92"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Unforseen circumstances</header>
<clause id="HF6E6AAB55BD04B6EB1C0C6EAC009501A"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in clause (ii), the permitting authority, in cooperation with the permittee,
shall seek to modify a Good Samaritan discharge permit to take into
account any event or condition encountered by the permittee if the event
or condition encountered by the permittee—</text>
<subclause id="H4D7D7484289F4BD7B17FCE3EEB0CEDDE"><enum>(I)</enum><text>significantly reduces the feasibility, or significantly increases the cost, of completing the
remediation project that is the subject of the Good Samaritan discharge
permit;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H8F6F402271AE4216A60BEB06ADC953D9"><enum>(II)</enum><text>was not—</text>
<item id="HB7B937D5647D40D38F1A05E2A7C31F7C"><enum>(aa)</enum><text>contemplated by the permittee; or</text>
</item><item id="HF05BCFFDBF5246ADA86AC06EB3915F87"><enum>(bb)</enum><text>taken into account in the remediation plan of the permittee; and</text>
</item></subclause><subclause id="HFF78BB90B8894AAE8F71D789AAC17C3F"><enum>(III)</enum><text>is beyond the control of the permittee, as determined by the permitting authority.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H1E6C634D24624328B99E593D4DB851DE"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>If a permittee described in clause (i) does not agree to a modification of the Good Samaritan
discharge permit of the permittee, or the permitting authority determines
that remediation activities conducted by the permittee pursuant to the
permit have resulted or will result in surface water quality conditions
that, taken as a whole, are or will be worse than the baseline water
conditions described in paragraph (3)(B)(ii)(I), the permitting authority
shall terminate the permit.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HD5B36874F7BF4848B9BAEB8A10B91514"><enum>(C)</enum><header>No enforcement liability</header>
<clause id="HE05F2CF0D6204FCEA709E60AEC555010"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Discharges</header><text>Subject to clause (ii), and except as provided in clause (iii), the permittee of a permit, or a
cooperating person with respect to the remediation plan of the permittee,
shall not be subject to enforcement under any provision of this Act for
liability for any past, present, or future discharges at or from the
abandoned or inactive mining site that is the subject of the permit.</text>
</clause><clause id="HA8162463B21C49F3869F76A8C8945E99"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Other parties</header><text>Clause (i) does not limit the liability of any person that is not described in clause (i).</text>
</clause><clause id="H04AFD6B885F6405AB0189F46E7916979"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Violation of permit prior to termination</header><text>The discharge of liability for a permittee of a permit, or a cooperating person with respect to the
remediation plan of the permittee, under clause (i) shall not apply with
respect to any violation of the permit that occurs before the date on
which the permit is terminated.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H78F7C94EFDB340AC8B84EAA4C83BD46B"><enum>(8)</enum><header>Limitations</header>
<subparagraph id="H569F0212E9F8416DBC2AD74747454EE9"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Emergency powers</header><text>Nothing in this subsection limits the authority of the Administrator to exercise any emergency
power under section 504 with respect to persons other than a permittee and
any cooperating persons.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H809F314BF4D34B8091513252D30D89CC"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Prior violations</header>
<clause id="H208049E1359F486D8406897C21848055"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Actions and relief</header><text>Except as provided in clause (ii), with respect to a violation of this subsection or section 301(a)
committed by any person prior to the issuance of a Good Samaritan
discharge permit under this subsection, the issuance of the Good Samaritan
discharge permit does not preclude any enforcement action under section
309.</text>
</clause><clause id="H162695FB98E0430DA54B409E58BB6C2B"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Exceptions</header>
<subclause id="HA174CE482F7F46AD9D04C9CCFBA26B8C"><enum>(I)</enum><header>Scope of permit</header><text>If a Good Samaritan discharge permit covers remediation activities carried out by the permittee on
a date before the issuance of the Good Samaritan discharge permit, clause
(i) shall not apply to any action that is based on any condition that
results from the remediation activities.</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HE52DE330ADA243CCA8622C034CF28BB6"><enum>(II)</enum><header>Other parties</header><text>A permittee shall not be subject to any action under sections 309 or 505 for any violation
committed by any other party.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H395AFFB35D2847CA9FF4DD77969EF19C"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Obligations of States and indian tribes</header><text>Except as otherwise provided in this section, nothing in this subsection limits any obligation of a
State or Indian tribe described in section 303.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HDD830528EA6846628C111A19DB0B2666"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Other development</header>
<clause id="H4CA36DE0F3C6472EAAA312FF36352FE9"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Any development of an inactive or abandoned mine site (including any activity relating to mineral
exploration, processing, beneficiation, or mining), including development
by a permittee or any cooperating person, not authorized in a permit
issued by the permitting authority under this subsection shall be subject
to this Act.</text>
</clause><clause id="H57F1F7F3FB2048F0B3D27EC80080073C"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Commingling of discharges</header><text>The commingling of any other discharge or water with any discharge or water subject to a Good
Samaritan discharge permit issued under this subsection shall not limit or
reduce the liability of any person associated with the water or discharge
that is not subject to the Good Samaritan discharge permit.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB629F25600084C278226636683AC387D"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Recoverable value</header><text>A Good Samaritan to whom a permit is issued may sell or use materials recovered during the
implementation of the plan only if the proceeds of any such sale are used
to defray the costs of—</text>
<clause id="H9480B97125A945219F6922EFDFA61EEB"><enum>(i)</enum><text>remediation of the site addressed in the permit; or</text>
</clause><clause id="HD7B5779A46144CB6921109A915E11F70"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>voluntary remediation of any other inactive or abandoned mine site covered by a permit issued under
this section.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HA45A1EFBAB724B80A966207010A04FF1"><enum>(F)</enum><header>State certification</header>
<clause id="H6D3E439ED5C24945A23B5C9411E54E1E"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Except as provided in clause (ii), to the extent that this subsection relates to water quality
standards, certification under section 401 shall not apply to any Good
Samaritan discharge permit issued under this subsection.</text>
</clause><clause id="HF8C23B1BCE6B45EC86C7D2FF8ED5FE19"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>In any case in which certification under section 401 would otherwise be required, no Good Samaritan
discharge permit shall be issued by a permitting authority under this
subsection without the concurrence of—</text>
<subclause id="H7DE8415EE92E4C9BBC703EA3909129DD"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the State in which the site of the discharge is located; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HAE6D47484F0448C5A65DC65C89A864CC"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the Indian tribe that owns or has jurisdiction over the site on which a remediation project is
proposed.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H643C193B5FC341C5A4068A995EA35B8B"><enum>(G)</enum><header>State and tribal reclamation programs</header><text>No State, Indian tribe, or other person shall be required to obtain a Good Samaritan discharge
permit pursuant to this subsection for any discharge, including any
discharge associated with the remediation of an inactive or abandoned mine
site with respect to the conduct of reclamation work under a State or
tribal abandoned mine reclamation plan approved under title IV of the
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1231 et
seq.).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H247D87A6AE304753926C5EDCF049C6DA"><enum>(9)</enum><header>Liability of other parties</header><text>Nothing in this subsection (including any result caused by any action taken by a permittee or a
cooperating person) limits the liability of any person other than a
permittee or a cooperating person under this Act or any other law.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HA7082DB59E804B4C85160B74195AEBC3"><enum>(10)</enum><header>Regulations</header>
<subparagraph id="HB65BC13E86C74D678827EC29812D2CD9"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Subject to subparagraph (B), not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection,
after providing for public notice and an opportunity to comment and a
public hearing, the Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of
the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, and appropriate State,
tribal, and local officials, shall promulgate regulations to establish—</text>
<clause id="H02F4C093639D4216A5E5AC5B091EBDAC"><enum>(i)</enum><text>generally applicable requirements for remediation plans described in paragraph (3)(B); and</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="HACDA4710EE74465F9D9575C5A1501B13"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>any other requirement that the Administrator determines to be necessary.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H9DC96CE7854042869FC8FDCE487BA0DA"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Specific requirements before promulgation of regulations</header><text>Before the date on which the Administrator promulgates regulations under subparagraph (A), a
permitting authority may establish, on a case-by-case basis, specific
requirements that the permitting authority determines would facilitate the
implementation of this subsection with respect to a Good Samaritan
discharge permit issued to a permittee.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HCB75E23B07BA4123B2471FCC0C46E5D8"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Funding</header>
<subparagraph id="H55F64F09DF6B49C99E5ABA7645043482"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Eligibility for Section 319 grants</header><text>A permittee shall be eligible to apply for a grant under section 319(h).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H45E7D26AD96C493AB92E2DA9ABEE8131"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Grants</header><text>Subject to the availability of appropriated funds, the Administrator may award to any permittee a
grant to assist the permittee in implementing a remediation plan with
respect to a Good Samaritan discharge permit of the permittee.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H50B88727DDFE4B59B59E3D61370268F6"><enum>(12)</enum><header>Report to Congress</header>
<subparagraph id="H962DC79B9DEB43BCB6F0E1D46841811E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 1 year before the date of termination of the authority of the permitting authority
under paragraph (13), the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report
describing the activities authorized by this subsection.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H7EA1B24995594F6891B9C9F4945C7178"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Contents</header><text>The report required under subparagraph (A) shall contain, at a minimum—</text>
<clause id="H6A09B3A73E354A8FA82E53F91BCC51F4"><enum>(i)</enum><text>a description of—</text>
<subclause id="H80ABDC4568E64F0DB3AC4C2B73AF2A1A"><enum>(I)</enum><text>each Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under this subsection;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H11E5145F6FBE43F5AACDC70D935025D9"><enum>(II)</enum><text>each permittee;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HA3CED9B495B643B38CA5F57C75DBF81A"><enum>(III)</enum><text>each inactive or abandoned mine site addressed by a Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under
this subsection (including each body of water and the baseline water
quality of each body of water affected by each inactive or abandoned mine
site);</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H53F239C4C770437A97839C586C6029EA"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>the status of the implementation of each remediation plan associated with each Good Samaritan
discharge permit issued under this subsection (including specific progress
that each remediation activity conducted by a permittee pursuant to each
Good Samaritan discharge permit has made toward achieving the goals and
objectives of the remediation plan); and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H1944D81CB9844756AF4CCBC7DFC3C319"><enum>(V)</enum><text>each enforcement action taken by the Administrator or applicable State or Indian tribe concerning a
Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under this subsection (including
the disposition of the action);</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H2D0326DC6D3A4D38A9F494CE7E8E57BC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>a summary of each remediation plan associated with a Good Samaritan discharge permit issued under
this subsection, including—</text>
<subclause id="HE71F5ECDF950472BA5539AC8D46F5A4C"><enum>(I)</enum><text>the goals and objectives of the remediation plan;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H8B0F987D6EEB4473AB2FF91960F3AACC"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the budget of the activities conducted pursuant to the remediation plan; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H9EFEBE0D11CD46E49D86C54AF844376C"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the practices to be employed by each permittee in accordance with the remediation plan of the
permittee to reduce, control, mitigate, or eliminate adverse impacts to
the quality of applicable bodies of water; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H023F25BEC5B344C69C30898664D0CBBD"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>any recommendations that may be proposed by the Administrator to modify any law (including this
subsection and any regulation promulgated under paragraph (10)) to
facilitate the improvement of water quality through the remediation of
inactive or abandoned mine sites.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H1211E772D56B4F23B71F99CFFCE8BED5"><enum>(13)</enum><header>Termination of authority</header><text>The authority granted to the permitting authority under this subsection to issue Good Samaritan
discharge permits terminates on the date that is 10 years after the date
of enactment of this subsection.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H8395018D429F45B6B1AB8106F57D0725"><enum>(14)</enum><header>Severability</header><text>If any provision of this subsection, or the application of any provision of this subsection to any
person or circumstance, is held invalid, the application of such provision
to other persons or circumstances, and the remainder of this subsection,
shall not be affected thereby.</text></paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section>