I 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3734 

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 

provide support to mining schools, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 9, 2015 

Mr. HARDY (for himself and Mr. PERLMUTTER) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 

of 1977 to provide support to mining schools, and for 

other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Mining Schools En5 hancement Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR MINING SCHOOLS. 

7 Section 721 of the Surface Mining Control and Rec8 lamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1309b) is amended— 


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•HR 3734 IH

1 (1) by striking ‘‘The Office of Surface Mining 

2 Reclamation and Enforcement’’ and inserting the 

3 following: 

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (b), the 

5 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’’; 

6 and 

7 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(b) MINING PROGRAM SUPPORT.— 

9 ‘‘(1) Of the amounts made available under this 

10 Act for activities authorized under this section, the 

11 Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclama12 tion and Enforcement shall ensure that at least 70 

13 percent is expended to enhance and support mining 

14 and mineral engineering programs in the United 

15 States by funding activities at mining schools. 

16 ‘‘(2) In expending funds under this section, the 

17 Director shall consult with relevant stakeholders and 

18 ensure a significant opportunity for participation by 

19 undergraduate and graduate students at mining 

20 schools. 

21 ‘‘(3) The Director shall ensure that the activi22 ties conducted under this section relate to conven23 tional fuel resource development and production, and 

24 include— 


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1 ‘‘(A) studies of mining, mineral extraction 

2 efficiency, and related processing technology; 

3 ‘‘(B) mineral economics, reclamation tech4 nology, and practices for active mining oper5 ations; 

6 ‘‘(C) the development of remining systems 

7 and technologies that facilitate reclamation that 

8 fosters the recovery of resources at abandoned 

9 mine sites; 

10 ‘‘(D) investigations of mineral resource ex11 traction methods that reduce environmental and 

12 human impacts; 

13 ‘‘(E) reducing dependence on foreign en14 ergy supplies; and 

15 ‘‘(F) enhancing the competitiveness of 

16 United States energy technology exports. 

17 ‘‘(c) MINING SCHOOL DEFINED.—In this section the 

18 term ‘mining school’ means a mining or mineral engineer19 ing program or department accredited by the Accredita20 tion Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc., that is 

21 located at an institution of higher education (as that term 

22 is defined in section 631(a) of the Higher Education Act 

23 of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United States.’’. 

Æ 


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