I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 315 
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 
authorize partnerships between States and nongovernmental entities for 
the purpose of reclaiming and restoring land and water resources ad-
versely affected by coal mining activities before August 3, 1977, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 8, 2019 
Mr. LAHOOD 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 authorize partnerships between States and 
nongovernmental entities for the purpose of reclaiming 
and restoring land and water resources adversely affected 
by coal mining activities before August 3, 1977, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Community Reclama-
tion Partnerships Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. REFERENCE. 
Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment is expressed in terms of an amend-
ment to a provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a provision of the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.). 
SEC. 3. STATE MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING FOR CER-
TAIN REMEDIATION. 
(a) MEMORANDA AUTHORIZED.—Section 405 (30 
U.S.C. 1235) is amended by inserting after subsection (l) 
the following: 
‘‘(m) STATE MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING FOR 
REMEDIATION OF MINE DRAINAGE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State with a State pro-
gram approved under subsection (d) may enter into 
a memorandum of understanding with relevant Fed-
eral or State agencies (or both) to remediate mine 
drainage on abandoned mine land and water im-
pacted by abandoned mines within the State. The 
memorandum may be updated as necessary and re-
submitted for approval under this subsection. 
‘‘(2) 
MEMORANDA
REQUIREMENTS.—Such 
memorandum shall establish a strategy satisfactory 
to the State and Federal agencies that are parties 
to the memorandum, to address water pollution re-
sulting from mine drainage at sites eligible for rec-
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lamation and mine drainage abatement expenditures 
under section 404, including specific procedures 
for— 
‘‘(A) ensuring that activities carried out to 
address mine drainage will result in improved 
water quality; 
‘‘(B) monitoring, sampling, and the report-
ing of collected information as necessary to 
achieve the condition required under subpara-
graph (A); 
‘‘(C) operation and maintenance of treat-
ment systems as necessary to achieve the condi-
tion required under subparagraph (A); and 
‘‘(D) other purposes, as considered nec-
essary by the State or Federal agencies, to 
achieve the condition required under subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(3) PUBLIC REVIEW AND COMMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Before submitting a 
memorandum to the Secretary and the Admin-
istrator for approval, a State shall— 
‘‘(i) invite interested members of the 
public to comment on the memorandum; 
and 
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