[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8614 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8614

   To authorize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
  Medicine to carry out a study to examine the potential relationship 
 between increased health risks and living in proximity to sites that 
    have been or are being mined for surface coal deposits, and the 
  potential human health effects of surface coal mining operations in 
              Central Appalachia, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 2024

 Mr. McGarvey (for himself and Mr. Grijalva) introduced the following 
     bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To authorize the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
  Medicine to carry out a study to examine the potential relationship 
 between increased health risks and living in proximity to sites that 
    have been or are being mined for surface coal deposits, and the 
  potential human health effects of surface coal mining operations in 
              Central Appalachia, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. STUDY ON POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCREASED HEALTH 
              RISKS AND LIVING IN PROXIMITY TO COAL MINES.

    (a) In General.--The Deputy Director of the Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation Enforcement of the Department of the Interior shall 
enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine to carry out, in accordance with subsection 
(c), a study to examine the potential relationship between increased 
health risks and living in proximity to sites that have been or are 
being mined for surface coal deposits, and the potential human health 
effects of surface coal mining operations in Central Appalachia, 
including the effects of unreclaimed, idle, and abandoned coal mines.
    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            (1) An identification and description of the main types of 
        coal deposits in Central Appalachia that are extracted using 
        surface mining techniques, including geologic and geochemical 
        characteristics, mining and reclamation operations, and waste 
        management approaches.
            (2) A summary of Federal and State regulatory frameworks 
        for surface coal mining operations, including coal preparation 
        plants and the associated coarse coal refuse facilities and 
        slurry impoundments.
            (3) A discussion of relevant scientific research on the 
        potential human health effects related to surface coal mining 
        operations, including the following:
                    (A) An identification of effects from surface coal 
                mining operations on air, surface water, groundwater, 
                and drinking water quality that could potentially lead 
                to human health concerns.
                    (B) An evaluation of the potential for short-term 
                and long-term human health effects, including 
                consideration of potential exposure pathways and 
                relevant environmental contaminants, noise and 
                vibrations from operations, and other stressors and 
                quality of life concerns.
                    (C) An assessment of the scientific and 
                methodologic quality, rigor, and sufficiency of such 
                scientific research.
            (4) An identification of baseline data and approaches 
        necessary to monitor environmental and human health indicators 
        that may be affected by surface coal mining operations.
            (5) An identification of gaps in research and needs for 
        additional research that may assist in the development of new 
        approaches to safeguard the health of residents living near 
        surface coal mining operations.
            (6) Recommendations for--
                    (A) additional research needed to understand the 
                impact of surface coal mine operations on human health; 
                and
                    (B) development of new approaches to safeguard the 
                health of residents living near surface coal mining 
                operations.
            (7) An identification of the effects of unreclaimed, idle, 
        and abandoned coal mines.
            (8) Recommendations to remedy any negative health effects 
        found from the study.
    (c) Committee.--The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
and Medicine shall establish a committee to carry out the study under 
subsection (a). Members of such committee shall have relevant expertise 
from academia, State government agencies, industry, and nongovernmental 
organizations, and shall have individual expertise in technical areas 
such as mining engineering (including coal mining operations), exposure 
science, monitoring and control of environmental and human exposure to 
products from surface coal mine operations, epidemiology, public 
health, environmental medicine, statistics, regulatory decision making 
for surface mining, and control and reclamation operations.
    (d) Input.--In carrying out the study under subsection (a), the 
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine shall solicit 
input from impacted members of the general public.
    (e) Report.--Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
Medicine shall issue a report containing the findings of the study 
under subsection (a), including any recommendations on remediations of 
potential human health effects of surface coal mining operations in 
Central Appalachia, including the effects of unreclaimed, idle, and 
abandoned coal mines.
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