[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2520 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2520

To amend title IV, of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977, to encourage the mining and reclamation of previously mined areas 
          by active mining operations, and for other purposes.


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                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

            October 6 (legislative day, September 12), 1994

   Mr. Ford introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
       referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources

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                                 A BILL


 
To amend title IV, of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977, to encourage the mining and reclamation of previously mined areas 
          by active mining operations, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

                       ABANDONED MINE FEE CREDIT

    Section 1. Section 402(a) of the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1322(a)) is amended as follows:
            (1) Add the following after Sec. 402(a):
            ``(1) Except as provided in subsection 402(a)(2),''.
            (2) At the end of the paragraph add the following 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) The Secretary may grant a credit to any operator for 
        the reclamation fee otherwise required to be paid in section 
        402(a)(1) for coal within an eligible site, pursuant to section 
        404, as an incentive to operators, to remine areas if the 
        Secretary finds that (1) the cost to reclaim the affected area 
        under this title would significantly exceed the reclamation fee 
        credit provided for the recoverable coal within the affected 
        site and (2) the mining and subsequent reclamation of the 
        affected site by a private operator is in the public interest. 
        In a primacy State, the Secretary shall administer the 
        provision of this paragraph through a cooperative agreement 
        with that State and shall obtain the recommendation of the 
        State before granting the credit. The Secretary may require a 
        bond to ensure repayment of the credit in the event the site is 
        not fully reclaimed.''.
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