[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1917 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1917

To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to transfer 
to State governments the authority of the Bureau of Land Management to 
  require bonds or other financial guarantees for the reclamation of 
                      hardrock mineral operations.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 17, 1997

 Mr. Gibbons introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                         Committee on Resources

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                                 A BILL


 
To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to transfer 
to State governments the authority of the Bureau of Land Management to 
  require bonds or other financial guarantees for the reclamation of 
                      hardrock mineral operations.

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

SECTION 1. TRANSFER OF BONDING AUTHORITY.

    Section 302 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 
(43 U.S.C. 1732) is amended by adding the following new subsection at 
the end thereof:
    ``(e) Bonding or Other Financial Guarantees for Hardrock Mineral 
Reclamation.--After the date of the enactment of this subsection, in 
lieu of requiring a bond or other financial guarantee under regulations 
of the Secretary for reclamation of hardrock mining operations, the 
Secretary shall accept evidence of any financial guarantee required 
under State law or regulations, held or approved by a State agency for 
the area covered by the notice or plan of operations, and determined by 
the State agency to be reasonable for the amount of reclamation, 
regardless of the type of financial instruments chosen by the State for 
purposes of such guarantee. The Secretary may not reject any submitted 
financial instrument if such instrument is satisfactory under State law 
and redeemable by the Secretary. No provision of any regulations of the 
Secretary that is inconsistent with the preceding provisions of this 
subsection shall apply to mining operation initiated under a notice, or 
conducted under a plan of operations, submitted to the Secretary after 
the date of the enactment of this subsection. ''.
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