Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019

To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to allow the Secretary of the Interior to delegate certain emergency reclamation activities to the States and Tribes, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019 2. Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund Section 401(f)(2) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 ( 30 U.S.C. 1231(f)(2) (1) in subparagraph (A)— (A) in the heading, by striking 2022 2037 (B) by striking 2022 2037 (2) in subparagraph (B)— (A) in the heading, by striking 2023 2038 (B) by striking 2023 2038 (C) by striking 2022 2037 3. Emergency Powers (a) State reclamation program Section 405(d) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 ( 30 U.S.C. 1235(d) sections 402 and 410 excepted section 402 excepted (b) Delegation Section 410 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 ( 30 U.S.C. 1240 (1) in subsection (a), by inserting , including through reimbursement to a State or Tribal Government described in subsection (c), moneys (2) by adding at the end the following: (c) State or Tribal Government A State or Tribal Government is eligible to receive reimbursement from the Secretary under subsection (a) if such State or Tribal Government has submitted, and the Secretary has approved, an Abandoned Mine Land Emergency Program as part of an approved State or Tribal Reclamation Plan under section 405. . 4. Reclamation fee (a) Duration Effective 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, section 402(b) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 ( 30 U.S.C. 1232(b) September 30, 2021 September 30, 2036 (b) Allocation of funds Effective September 30, 2019, section 402(g) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 ( 30 U.S.C. 1232(g) (1) in paragraph (6)(A), by striking paragraphs (1) and (5) paragraphs (1), (5), and (8) (2) in paragraph (8)(A), by striking $3,000,000 $5,000,000 (3) by adding at the end the following: (9) From amounts withheld pursuant to the Budget Control Act of 2011 ( 2 U.S.C. 901(a) 30 U.S.C. 1232(g) . 5. Exempt programs and activities Section 255(g)(1)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act ( 2 U.S.C. 905(g)(1)(A) Payments to States and Indian Tribes from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, mandatory grants to States and Indian Tribes (12–50q5–0–2–999). December 2, 2020 Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources December 2, 2020 Committee on the Budget

Summary: Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act Amendments of 2019 This bill reauthorizes the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund fees and expands the payments from the fund for abandoned coal mine cleanups. Specifically, the bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to reimburse states and tribal governments from the fund for the emergency restoration, reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of adverse effects of coal mining practices; extends the authority for Interior to collect reclamation fees through FY2036; increases from $3 million to $5 million the minimum amount of funds that Interior must award annually to certain states and Indian tribes that have an approved abandoned mine reclamation program; and exempts certain payments from budget sequestration and requires Interior to disburse previously sequestered amounts to states and tribes.