I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8062 
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 
strengthen control of the environmental impacts of surface coal mining, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 18, 2024 
Mr. BEYER 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 strengthen control of the environmental im-
pacts of surface coal mining, 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 ‘‘Stream Protection and 
Vegetation Restoration Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO SURFACE MINING CONTROL AND 
RECLAMATION ACT. 
(a) RECLAMATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
508(a)(7) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation 
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Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1258(a)(7)) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘, not to exceed the time and distance standards estab-
lished in section 515(g)’’ after ‘‘reclamation plan’’. 
(b) REVISION OF PERMITS.—Section 511(a) of the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 
U.S.C. 1261(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as para-
graph (5); and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) A request to temporarily cease or suspend min-
ing operations is a significant permit revision for purposes 
of paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) In each case where no active coal removal or 
reclamation has occurred at a permitted mine for more 
than 6 months during any 3-year period, the applicable 
permit shall be considered out of compliance with the rec-
lamation plan— 
‘‘(A) unless the permit is in compliance with 
time and distance standards established in section 
515(g) and does not have any variances from such 
standards; and 
‘‘(B) until the date on which the regulatory au-
thority approves— 
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‘‘(i) a reasonable plan submitted by the op-
erator to return to production not later than 1 
year after the date on which the operator is no-
tified that the applicable permit is considered 
out of compliance under this paragraph; or 
‘‘(ii) an application for a revision of the 
permit submitted by the permittee under para-
graph (1).’’. 
(c) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PERFORMANCE 
STANDARDS.—Section 515 of the Surface Mining Control 
and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1265) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (16)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, not to exceed the 
time and distance standards established in 
subsection (g)’’ after ‘‘contemporaneously 
as practicable with the surface coal mining 
operations’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (D), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; 
(B) in paragraph (20)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
‘‘and’’ at the end; and 
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(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting a semi-
colon; 
(C) in paragraph (22)(I), by striking the 
period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
(D) in paragraph (23), by striking ‘‘and’’ 
at the end; 
(E) in paragraph (25), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(F) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(26) conduct contemporaneous reclamation so 
as not to exceed the time and distance standards es-
tablished in subsection (g).’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) Rough backfilling and grading for surface min-
ing activities shall be completed according to one of the 
following schedules: 
‘‘(1) For contour mining, within 60 days or 
1,500 linear feet following coal removal, whichever 
occurs first. 
‘‘(2) For area mining, within 180 days fol-
lowing coal removal, and not more than 4 spoil 
ridges behind the pit being worked, the spoil from 
the active pit constituting the first ridge. 
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