I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2053 

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

enhance and support mining and mineral engineering programs in the 

United States by funding activities at mining schools, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 6, 2017 

Ms. MCSALLY (for herself, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. AMODEI, Mrs. NOEM, and 

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska) 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 enhance and support mining and mineral 

engineering programs in the United States by funding 

activities at 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 School En5 hancement Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR MINING SCHOOLS. 

2 Section 721 of the Surface Mining Control and Rec3 lamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1309b) is amended— 

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

5 Reclamation and Enforcement’’ and inserting the 

6 following: 

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

8 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’’; 

9 and 

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

11 ‘‘(b) MINING PROGRAM SUPPORT.— 

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

13 Act for activities authorized under this section, the 

14 Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclama15 tion and Enforcement shall ensure that at least 50 

16 percent is expended to enhance and support mining 

17 and mineral engineering programs in the United 

18 States by funding activities at mining schools. 

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

20 Director shall consult with relevant stakeholders and 

21 ensure a significant opportunity for participation by 

22 undergraduate and graduate students at mining 

23 schools. 

24 ‘‘(3) The Director shall ensure that the activi25 ties conducted under this section relate to resource 

26 development and production, and 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; 

15 ‘‘(F) enhancing the competitiveness of 

16 United States energy technology exports; 

17 ‘‘(G) the extraction or processing of coin18 ciding mineralization, including rare earth ele19 ments, within coal, coal processing byproduct, 

20 overburden or coal residue; and 

21 ‘‘(H) enhancing technologies and practices 

22 related to mitigation of acid mine drainage, re23 forestation, and revegetation in the reclamation 

24 of land and water resources adversely affected 

25 by coal mining. 


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

2 term ‘mining school’ means a mining, metallurgical, or 

3 mineral engineering program or department accredited by 

4 the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 

5 Inc., that is located at an institution of higher education 

6 (as that term is defined in section 631(a) of the Higher 

7 Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United 

8 States.’’. 

Æ 


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