[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 126 (Thursday, July 28, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H7395-H7399]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SAFEGUARDING TREATMENT FOR THE RESTORATION OF ECOSYSTEMS FROM ABANDONED 
                               MINES ACT

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 7283) to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to 
make certain activities eligible for grants from the Abandoned Mine 
Reclamation Fund, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 7283

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Safeguarding Treatment for 
     the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act'' or 
     the ``STREAM Act''.

     SEC. 2. ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR GRANTS FROM THE 
                   ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION FUND.

       Section 40701(c) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
     Act (30 U.S.C. 1231a(c)) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Grants under'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), 
     grants under''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(2) Acid mine drainage abatement and treatment.--
       ``(A) In general.--Not more than 30 percent of the total 
     amount of a grant made annually under subsection (b)(1) may 
     be retained by the recipient of the grant, if those amounts 
     are deposited into an acid mine drainage abatement and 
     treatment fund established under State law, from which 
     amounts (together with all interest earned on the amounts) 
     are expended by the State for the abatement of the causes and 
     the treatment of the effects of acid mine drainage resulting 
     from coal mining practices, including for the costs of 
     building, operating, maintaining, and rehabilitating acid 
     mine drainage treatment systems.
       ``(B) Reporting requirements.--Each recipient of a grant 
     under subsection (b)(1) that deposits grant amounts into an 
     acid mine drainage abatement and treatment fund under 
     subparagraph (A) shall--
       ``(i) offer amendments to the inventory maintained under 
     section 403(c) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
     Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1233(c)) to reflect the use of the 
     amounts for acid mine drainage abatement and treatment; and
       ``(ii) include in the annual grant report of the recipient 
     information on the status and balance of amounts in the acid 
     mine drainage abatement and treatment fund.
       ``(C) Term.--Amounts retained under subparagraph (A) shall 
     not be subject to--
       ``(i) subsection (d)(4)(B); or
       ``(ii) any other limitation on the length of the term of an 
     annual grant under subsection (b)(1).''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lowenthal) and the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Westerman) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in

[[Page H7396]]

which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material on the measure under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding 
Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, 
or the STREAM Act, introduced by our colleague, Representative 
Cartwright of Pennsylvania.
  The STREAM Act makes a technical correction to existing Federal law 
so that States and Tribes can use a portion of the $11.3 billion that 
Congress has already appropriated for abandoned coal mine cleanup to 
restore streams that are polluted by acid mine drainage.
  Acid mine drainage is heavily polluted water that flows out of 
abandoned coal mines into streams, making them toxic to all wildlife 
and often turning them a bright and unnatural orange.
  Acid mine drainage renders streams biologically dead. They become 
unusable, undrinkable, unfishable, and unswimmable. It also severely 
limits a region's potential economic growth.

                              {time}  1615

  Thankfully, we know how to clean up this type of mining pollution, 
and we know that doing so will bring enormous benefits to impacted 
communities.
  Investments made by existing Federal law for cleaning up abandoned 
coal mines are expected to create over 4,000 jobs a year over the next 
15 years. That is 60,000 new, good-paying jobs in communities left 
behind by the coal industry.
  Cleaning up acid mine drainage also restores natural areas and brings 
back wildlife. Under the existing Abandoned Mine Land Program run by 
the Department of the Interior, eligible States and Tribes can set 
aside 30 percent of their annual funding allocations to cover the long-
term costs of operating acid mine drainage treatment facilities.
  Unfortunately, newer Federal law passed in this Congress does not 
currently give States and Tribes the same authority for the $11.3 
billion in supplemental funds.
  The STREAM Act corrects this situation, giving States and Tribes the 
same flexibility to treat this devastating issue with legislation that 
has been passed in this Congress that they have had under the standard 
program for years.
  I want to emphasize that this legislation does not--I repeat, does 
not--affect funding levels for any State. It simply changes the way 
that States may choose to use funds, depending on their individual 
needs when it comes to acid mine drainage.
  The STREAM Act has strong bipartisan support. This legislation passed 
out of committee with strong bipartisan support and is endorsed by 
Governors, environmental groups, and the Interstate Mining Compact 
Commission.
  I include in the Record some testimony in support of the STREAM Act 
from the Interstate Mining Compact Commission and letters of support 
from Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio, Governor Jim Justice of West 
Virginia, the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Illinois 
Department of Natural Resources, and Trout Unlimited.


                                       Office of the Governor,

                                     Columbus, OH, April 25, 2022.
     Hon. Raul M. Grijalva,
     Chair, Natural Resources Committee,
     House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Bruce Westerman,
     Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee, House of 
         Representatives, Washington DC.
       Dear Chairman Grijalva and Ranking Member Westerman: I am 
     writing to ask for your support of H.R. 7283, the 
     Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from 
     Abandoned Mines Act (STREAMS), and its companion bill, S. 
     3957. These bills clarify that states with acid mine drainage 
     (AMD) set-aside programs can deposit a portion of the 
     Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Abandoned Mine 
     Land (AML) grant funds into AMD set-aside accounts. The 
     authority to do so will improve our nation's water quality.
       Ohio has a rich history of mining that began more than 200 
     years ago when the state was still a territory. It is, in 
     part, thanks to Ohio's miners and coal resources that the 
     industrial revolution grew. During the 19th and 20th 
     Centuries, more than 3.6 billion tons of coal were extracted 
     from Ohio, and, while mining has been an integral part of 
     Ohio's past economic prosperity, the after-effects of coal 
     production still endure.
       Although laws and regulations on proper mining practices 
     and reclamation exist today, that wasn't the case for the 
     first 100 years of coal mining. Prior to the enactment of our 
     nation's first mining laws in 1977, mines were often left 
     abandoned and unreclaimed as mining companies moved on to the 
     next site. Thousands of abandoned underground mines exist in 
     Ohio and pose significant geologic hazards, as the acids that 
     discharge from mined rock leech into our streams and other 
     waterways.
       Thankfully, funding mechanisms have been put in place to 
     confront this challenge. The IIJA includes $11.3 billion in 
     new funding for AML reclamation. These funds will 
     significantly increase states' ability to address legacy 
     safety and environmental hazards of coal mining.
       An important aspect of restoring abandoned mine lands is 
     remediating acid mine drainage (AMD), which is caused by 
     surface water flowing over or through mined rock, making the 
     water highly acidic. AMD is addressed by building water 
     treatment systems to neutralize acidic water and remove 
     dissolved metals that harm water quality in streams and 
     rivers.
       However, addressing AMD is different than the safety 
     hazards caused by AML, because a safety hazard can be 
     effectively eliminated through a one-time construction 
     project, but AMD requires a treatment system to be operated, 
     maintained, and rehabilitated in perpetuity for it to remain 
     effective. Accordingly, each AMD treatment system that a 
     state builds represents a long-term liability that must be 
     funded.
       Ohio currently operates and maintains 33 treatment systems 
     with plans to establish more, and unfortunately, the IIJA 
     does not provide the ability to set aside a portion of the 
     funds made available for ongoing AMD remediation. Without 
     this authority, it will be extremely difficult to responsibly 
     build the treatment systems necessary to make significant 
     improvements in water quality that has been harmed by 
     abandoned coal mines.
       H.R. 7283 and S. 3957 would clarify that states with 
     approved AMD set-aside programs can deposit up to 30% of 
     annual IIJA grant funds into the AMD set-aside account. This 
     legislation is imperative to Ohio, along with 10 other states 
     in the Appalachian and the Midwest regions who are committed 
     to addressing the legacy safety and environmental hazards of 
     coal mining.
       As the 2021 Chair of the Interstate Mining Compact 
     Commission and former co-chair of the Appalachian Regional 
     Commission, I can attest to the importance of this 
     legislation in addressing water quality issues resulting from 
     abandoned mines in Ohio. The legislation provides the 
     flexibility and long-term financial stability necessary to 
     plan, design, build, operate and maintain critical acid mine 
     drainage treatment systems.
       Again, I ask for your support of this important 
     legislation. Thank you for your attention to this issue.
           Very respectfully yours,
                                                      Mike DeWine,
     Governor.
                                  ____


                                       Office of the Governor,

                                     Charleston, WV, May 31, 2022.
     Hon. Joe Manchin III,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Shelley Moore Capito,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. David McKinley,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Alex Mooney,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Carol Miller,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Members of Congress: I am writing to you today on a 
     matter that urgently needs your attention. As many of you 
     know, the recently adopted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 
     transfers $11.3 billion from the federal treasury to the 
     Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) trust fund. State AML programs use 
     this fund to address the adverse impacts from the centuries 
     of unregulated coal mining that took place prior to the 
     adoption of the federal Surface Mining Control and 
     Reclamation Act in 1977. This additional money will be 
     monumental to West Virginia's AML program, and AML programs 
     across the country, as we work together to eliminate safety 
     and environmental hazards caused by abandoned mines.
       While we applaud the passage of the historic Infrastructure 
     Law, we want to call on our congressional leaders to pass the 
     recently introduced legislation that will allow states to 
     move a portion of the treasury funds into their Acid Mine 
     Drainage (AMD) Set Aside funds. This authority will provide 
     West Virginia and other states with even more resources to 
     address the impacts from mining's early years.
       A key component in addressing AML sites in West Virginia 
     and the surrounding region has been building water treatment 
     systems to remediate AMD. Treating AMD presents a bigger 
     challenge than addressing safety hazards, which can often be 
     eliminated through

[[Page H7397]]

     one-time construction projects. Once an AMD treatment system 
     is built, additional funding is needed for operations and 
     maintenance, so it remains effective. The expenses of this 
     work go on in perpetuity.
       Historically, state AML programs have been funded through 
     grants from the AML trust fund and fees collected from coal 
     production. The federal AML program allows states to set 
     aside 30 percent of its grant funding into an interest-
     bearing account to cover the long-term cost of treating AMD. 
     Although the Infrastructure Law authorizes continuation of 
     collection of AML fees on coal production and the authority 
     to set aside 30 percent of grant funds, it does not allow 
     states to set aside a portion of the treasury funds. The 
     ability to use these funds to cover the long-term costs of 
     treating AMD will be vital to keeping that burden off future 
     generations.
       Much like traditional AML projects, treating AMD benefits 
     both the environment and the economy. Building and operating 
     AMD treatment systems helps facilitate the creation of 
     permanent jobs while cleaning up our rivers and streams--a 
     true win-win for all West Virginians.
       Over the past four years, people from across the country 
     and all over the world have finally discovered what a great 
     place West Virginia is to live, work, and play. They want to 
     kayak and fish in our pristine waters and hike in our 
     beautiful mountains.
       Passing this legislation will ensure that West Virginia's 
     resources will be protected and enjoyed by all citizens for 
     years to come.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Jim Justice,
     Governor.
                                  ____


                                            Maryland Department of


                                              the Environment,

                                      Baltimore, MD, May 10, 2022.
     Hon. Chris Van Hollen,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Van Hollen: I am writing to ask for your 
     support of S. 3957, the Safeguarding Treatment for the 
     Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act (STREAMS), 
     and its companion bill, H.R. 7283. These bills clarify that 
     states with acid mine drainage (AMD) set-aside programs, like 
     Maryland, can deposit a portion of the Infrastructure 
     Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Abandoned Mine Land (AML) 
     grant funds into state's AMD set-aside accounts. This 
     authority will improve our nation's water quality by 
     providing funding for AMD treatment projects as well as the 
     long-term operation and maintenance of treatment systems.
       Western Maryland has a rich history of coal mining that 
     began more than 250 years ago and helped fuel the industrial 
     revolution. Hundreds of millions of tons of coal were mined 
     prior to the passage of state and federal laws requiring land 
     and water reclamation. The Surface Mining Control and 
     Reclamation Act (SMCRA or the Act) of 1977 instituted 
     national mining and reclamation standards that have reduced 
     environmental impacts from modern coal mining. SMCRA also 
     created the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, by taxing coal 
     production, to address the legacy of health, safety, and 
     environmental hazards that existed prior to passage of the 
     Act.
       The IIJA has significantly increased funding available for 
     AML programs by depositing $11.3 billion into the Abandoned 
     Mine Reclamation Fund to address the myriad of legacy health, 
     safety, and environmental hazards of coal mining.
       An important aspect to restoring abandoned mines is 
     remediating AMD, which is caused by groundwater and surface 
     water flowing through abandoned deep mines and surface mines 
     resulting in very acidic water with high concentrations of 
     dissolved metals. Maryland currently has 60 AMD treatment 
     systems that have improved or restored over 100 miles of 
     stream, but hundreds of miles of streams remain degraded. 
     Treating AMD is costly and requires long-term funding for 
     operation and maintenance of the treatment systems. Without 
     continued funding for operation and maintenance, the 
     improvements will quickly be lost as the streams revert to 
     their pretreatment status.
       S. 3957 and H.R. 7283 would clarify that states with 
     approved AMD set-aside programs can deposit up to 30% of 
     annual IIJA grant funds into the AMD set-aside account. This 
     legislation is imperative to Maryland, along with 10 other 
     states in the Appalachian and the Midwest regions who are 
     committed to addressing the legacy of coal mining. The 
     legislation provides the flexibility and long-term financial 
     stability necessary to plan, design, build, operate, and 
     maintain critical acid mine drainage treatment systems.
       Thank you for your attention to this important issue of 
     improving water quality in Maryland and ask for your support 
     of this legislation.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Tyler Abbott,
     Chief of Staff.
                                  ____


                                            Illinois Department of


                                            Natural Resources,

                            Springfield, Illinois, April 21, 2022.
     Hon. Richard Durbin,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Durbin: The Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program 
     for the state of Illinois is under the purview of the 
     Illinois Department of Natural Resources. I am writing to 
     express our continuing strong support for the AML program 
     under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 
     (SMCRA).
       As you may know, Section 40701 of the recently adopted 
     Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) transfers funds to the 
     Illinois Abandoned Mine Lands (AML) Division for use in 
     addressing the adverse impacts of coal mining that preceeded 
     SMCRA. An important aspect of the work is the remediation of 
     acid mine drainage (AMD). Treatment of AMD requires the 
     construction, operation, maintenance and rehabilitation of a 
     treatment system to remain effective, resulting in a long-
     term liability. The historic fee-based AML program allows up 
     to 30 percent of its annual AML grant in an interest-bearing 
     account to cover the long-term costs of AMD. However, the BIL 
     does not confer parallel authority. Without this authority, 
     the amount available for long-term liabilities will dwindle, 
     thereby limiting AMD treatment.
       Therefore, I am requesting your support for S. 3957, to 
     amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to make 
     certain activities eligible for grants from the Abandoned 
     Mine Reclamation Fund, which was introduced by Senator Bob 
     Casey and Senator Mike Braun to allow not more than 30 
     percent of the total amount of the BIL grant to be deposited 
     into an AMD fund.
       I have attached a summary about the importance of the AMD 
     Set Aside Authority and S. 3957, STREAM Act. Should you have 
     any questions or require additional information about the 
     valuable work our state has undertaken, please contact Lance 
     Range, Acting Manager of the Division of AML.
       Thank you for your consideration of this request to protect 
     the physical, environmental, and economic health of the 
     people of Illinois.
           Sincerely,
                                                 Colleen Callahan,
     Director.
                                  ____


                                              Trout Unlimited,

                                      Arlington, VA, June 8, 2022.
     Re Trout Unlimited supports H.R. 7283, Safeguarding Treatment 
         for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines 
         Act (the STREAM Act).

     Hon. Alan Lowenthal,
     Chair, House Natural Resources Committee, Environment and 
         Mineral Resources Subcommittee.
     Hon. Pete Stauber,
     Ranking Member, House Natural Resources Committee, 
         Environment and Mineral Resources Subcommittee.
       Chair Lowenthal, Ranking Member Stauber and Members of the 
     Subcommittee: On behalf of our 300,000 members and supporters 
     nationwide, Trout Unlimited (TU) writes in support of the 
     bipartisan Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of 
     Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act (STREAM Act) to finance 
     long term cleanup of abandoned coal mines. This bill will 
     help finance and sustain the outstanding work that is 
     happening in coal country to clean up pernicious pollution 
     from abandoned coal mines. It will extend and enhance the 
     great value of the AML provisions of the Infrastructure 
     Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) by assuring projects completed 
     using those funds will continue to provide restoration in 
     perpetuity.
       Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMO) treatment is often addressed 
     by building water treatment systems, which result in ongoing 
     Operation Maintenance and Replacement (OMR) costs that endure 
     in perpetuity. However, states often lack the financial 
     ability to support these types of long-term liabilities. If 
     enacted, H.R. 7283 would allow for up to 30 percent of a 
     state's annual allocation for Abandoned Mineland (AML) 
     reclamation under IIJA to be deposited into an interest-
     bearing account to provide for the perpetual OMR expenses of 
     facilities to treat AMO. This language mirrors the authority 
     of current state programs that allow a 30 percent set-aside 
     from the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act's (SMCRA) 
     AML Trust Fund. This approach will help to ensure that 
     projects funded by the IIJA will have funds for this 
     necessary long-term OM&R expense, thereby sustaining long 
     term the thousands of stream miles that will be restored by 
     AMO treatment.
       A recent study by TU demonstrated the long-term benefits of 
     ongoing cleanup work funded by SMCRA's AML Fund, recently 
     reauthorized and expanded substantially by the IIJA. On the 
     West Branch of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania, thanks 
     to AML funding and well-crafted projects by watershed groups, 
     the state, and Trout Unlimited, we are seeing watershed scale 
     benefits--hundreds of miles of stream and mainstem river 
     restored, recreation rejuvenated, jobs created, and 
     watersheds made more resilient and better able to withstand 
     the impacts of a changing climate. And this is but one 
     example of this restoration occurring throughout Appalachia, 
     much of it in areas rendered dead by mining that occurred 
     decades to over a hundred years ago.
       Without the authority to set aside IIJA monies for the 
     perpetual Operation Maintenance and Replacement of these 
     facilities, communities and ecosystems impacted by legacy 
     mining issues are given the gift of restoration with no 
     certainty that it will continue in perpetuity. This 
     legislation provides a critical piece of the puzzle assuring

[[Page H7398]]

     that future generations will continue to reap these benefits.
       Thank you for taking up this important legislation and for 
     considering our views. We look forward to working with bill 
     sponsors and members of the committee to advance this bill 
     into law.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Steve Moyer,
                             Vice President of Government Affairs.

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Representative 
Cartwright, for introducing this important bipartisan legislation and 
working to build such an impressive coalition of support. I urge my 
colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 7283, and I reserve the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise in support of H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding 
Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, 
also known as the STREAM Act.
  The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act appropriated $11.3 billion 
to the Abandoned Mine Lands, or the AML, trust fund. This money is for 
use by State AML programs to address abandoned mine lands created 
before enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977.
  This historic, fee-based AML program allows a State to set aside up 
to 30 percent of its annual AML grant in an interest-bearing account to 
cover the long-term costs of acid mine drainage, or AMD, facilities, 
which are often needed to address water treatment in historic coal 
mining states.
  The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act reauthorizes the 
collection of the AML fee at a reduced rate, as well as a 30 percent 
set-aside authority for States. However, the IIJA neglected to grant 
parallel set-aside authority for the newly authorized $11.3 billion in 
Treasury funds for AML projects.
  This is one of the many areas Congress will need to correct in the 
hastily passed IIJA bill, and it goes to show why we need to have 
regular order, why we need to have committee hearings, and why we need 
to take our time on these large bills.
  That large IIJA bill never went through a committee in the House. It 
was sent over from the Senate, hastily adopted, and here we are today, 
trying to fix it. I am sure it won't be the last time.
  The STREAM Act is a bipartisan bill that will make a technical fix to 
IIJA, clarifying that States receiving newly authorized funds for AML 
cleanup have the authority to set aside a portion of those funds for 
AMD cleanup purposes consistent with existing law. This will allow 
States to utilize AML funds according to their specific needs.
  That said, the Department of the Interior recently released final 
guidance for States applying to receive funds authorized for AML 
cleanup that includes requirements over and above the letter of the 
law. DOI should allow States to make decisions on prioritizing AML 
sites and refrain from imposing unauthorized and heavy-handed 
requirements.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge adoption of this bill, and I reserve the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California 
for yielding time.
  I am addressing H.R. 7283, the Safeguarding Treatment for the 
Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, or the STREAM Act. 
It has been accurately described up to now as a responsible, 
commonsense, technical fix to the Department of the Interior's 
Abandoned Mine Lands Reclamation Program. It is a small change, but it 
will have a large, long-lasting, positive effect on State efforts to 
clean up legacy pollution from coal mining.
  Specifically, the bill allows States to hold back 30 percent of 
existing allocations for long-term operating and maintenance costs of 
abandoned mine land reclamation.
  When rainwater and river water runs over oxidized pyrite in abandoned 
coal mines, it turns color, and the whole area becomes toxic. The 
damage can last for hundreds or even thousands of years if nothing is 
done to fix it.
  In my beautiful State of Pennsylvania, acid mine drainage, or AMD, 
affects over 5,000 miles of waterways. No one wants to live or work 
near these dead zones in rivers and streams.
  The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission estimates an annual loss of 
$29 million in revenue from recreational fishing in such areas.
  We know how to fix the problem. Cleaning up acid mine drainage always 
creates jobs, brings back recreation opportunities, boosts local 
economies, and makes communities healthier and stronger and much more 
attractive to visitors and new investments.
  Acid mine drainage requires costly, ongoing maintenance, and H.R. 
7283 helps pay for that ongoing maintenance. It is not a new idea. The 
legacy Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program, which has been on the 
books for years, currently allows States to set aside up to 30 percent 
of their annual regular abandoned mine lands allocation to cover the 
long-term costs of operating AMD treatment facilities and maintaining 
them over the long term.
  It is optional, and States have to enact their own programs to engage 
in the program. Eleven States have done so, so far. Pennsylvania, West 
Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Maryland, 
Virginia, Tennessee, and Alabama have chosen to do so.
  H.R. 7283 opens the innovation door by making up to 30 percent of all 
AML funds available for such acid mine drainage projects if States want 
to go that way.
  There is no mandate here. It is their choice. Nothing in current law 
or the STREAM Act is mandatory, and nothing in the bill raises or 
authorizes any additional Federal spending for abandoned mine land or 
acid mine drainage work.
  What it gives States is the important option of restoring waterways 
and maintaining those restoration projects for many years to come.
  It is a responsible way to spend this money by extending it out over 
time so that we don't blow it all at once and then let existing mine 
reclamation areas fall apart. The STREAM Act can take existing Federal 
allocations for AML cleanup and make it last a very long time.

  Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his support. I thank 
Representative McKinley, to be sure, for his leadership in the House on 
this effort, and I thank all the other bipartisan cosponsors of this 
bill. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the bill.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), who is the Republican lead on this 
legislation and who is also a fellow engineer and knows a lot about 
coal mining.
  Mr. McKINLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman-in-waiting for the 
opportunity to address this.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the STREAM Act. Over the last 
century, American companies have mined coal in at least 26 States 
across the country. Over that same period of time, thousands of these 
mines have ceased operation.
  Abandoned mines produce acid drainage that, unfortunately, flows into 
our streams and is toxic. As a result, tens of thousands of miles of 
streams and waterways across America are being poisoned.
  West Virginia alone, according to the West Virginia Department of 
Environmental Protection, has indicated that we have 1,500 miles of 
streams that are toxic in West Virginia.
  The STREAM Act ensures States have the flexibility to use these 
federally allocated funds for acid mine drainage cleanup and provides 
long-term maintenance of these cleanup projects. The bill preserves the 
use of important guidelines already in place, as you have heard, and 
simply extends them to recently approved new funding measures.
  Making our streams safe is not a partisan issue. Mr. Speaker, as 
chairman of the Congressional Coal Caucus, I am proud to be leading the 
Republican effort, in conjunction with Representative Cartwright, to 
pass this bipartisan legislation.
  For anyone who has never seen these orange, poisoned streams, they 
will never understand the gravity of the situation. But for those of us 
that have seen and lived with this devastation that will last for 
years, decades, into the future, the time to vote ``yes'' is now.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the STREAM Act, and I encourage a 
``yes'' vote.

[[Page H7399]]

  


                              {time}  1630

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests at this time. 
I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WESTERMAN. Mr. Speaker, I have no other speakers. I urge adoption 
of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lowenthal) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7283, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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