I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7779 
To promote remediation of abandoned hardrock mines, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 21, 2024 
Ms. MALOY (for herself, Mrs. PELTOLA, Mr. CURTIS, Ms. LEE of Nevada, Mr. 
FULCHER, Mr. COSTA, and Mr. MOORE of Utah) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure, and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce, 
and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To promote remediation of abandoned hardrock mines, 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 ‘‘Good Samaritan Reme-
diation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ABANDONED HARDROCK MINE SITE.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘abandoned 
hardrock mine site’’ means an abandoned or in-
active hardrock mine site and any facility asso-
ciated with an abandoned or inactive hardrock 
mine site— 
(i) that was used for the production of 
a mineral other than coal conducted on 
Federal land under sections 2319 through 
2352 of the Revised Statutes (commonly 
known as the ‘‘Mining Law of 1872’’; 30 
U.S.C. 22 et seq.) or on non-Federal land; 
and 
(ii) for which, based on information 
supplied by the Good Samaritan after re-
view of publicly available data and after re-
view of other information in the possession 
of the Administrator, the Administrator or, 
in the case of a site on land owned by the 
United States, the Federal land manage-
ment agency, determines that no respon-
sible owner or operator has been identi-
fied— 
(I) who is potentially liable for, 
or has been required to perform or 
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pay for, environmental remediation 
activities under applicable law; and 
(II) other than, in the case of a 
mine site located on land owned by 
the United States, a Federal land 
management agency that has not been 
involved in mining activity on that 
land, except that the approval of a 
plan of operations under the hardrock 
mining regulations of the applicable 
Federal land management agency 
shall not be considered involvement in 
the mining activity. 
(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘‘abandoned 
hardrock mine site’’ includes a hardrock mine 
site (including associated facilities) that was 
previously the subject of a completed response 
action under the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 
1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) or a similar 
Federal and State reclamation or cleanup pro-
gram, including the remediation of mine-scarred 
land under the brownfields revitalization pro-
gram under section 104(k) of that Act (42 
U.S.C. 9604(k)). 
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(3) APPLICABLE
WATER
QUALITY
STAND-
ARDS.—The term ‘‘applicable water quality stand-
ards’’ means the water quality standards promul-
gated by the Administrator or adopted by a State or 
Indian tribe and approved by the Administrator pur-
suant to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act 
(33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.). 
(4) BASELINE CONDITIONS.—The term ‘‘base-
line conditions’’ means the concentrations, locations, 
and releases of any hazardous substances, pollut-
ants, or contaminants, as described in the Good Sa-
maritan permit, present at an abandoned hardrock 
mine site prior to undertaking any action under this 
Act. 
(5) COOPERATING PERSON.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘cooperating 
person’’ means any person that is named by the 
Good Samaritan in the permit application as a 
cooperating entity. 
(B) EXCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘cooperating 
person’’ does not include— 
(i) a responsible owner or operator 
with respect to the abandoned hardrock 
mine site described in the permit applica-
tion; 
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(ii) a person that had a role in the 
creation of historic mine residue at the 
abandoned hardrock mine site described in 
the permit application; or 
(iii) a Federal agency. 
(6) COVERED PERMIT.—The term ‘‘covered per-
mit’’ means— 
(A) a Good Samaritan permit; and 
(B) an investigative sampling permit. 
(7) FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCY.— 
The term ‘‘Federal land management agency’’ 
means any Federal agency authorized by law or ex-
ecutive order to exercise jurisdiction, custody, or 
control over land owned by the United States. 
(8) GOOD SAMARITAN.—The term ‘‘Good Sa-
maritan’’ means a person that, with respect to his-
toric mine residue, as determined by the Adminis-
trator— 
(A) is not a past or current owner or oper-
ator of— 
(i) the abandoned hardrock mine site 
at which the historic mine residue is lo-
cated; or 
(ii) a portion of that abandoned 
hardrock mine site; 
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(B) had no role in the creation of the his-
toric mine residue; and 
(C) is not potentially liable under any Fed-
eral, State, Tribal, or local law for the remedi-
ation, treatment, or control of the historic mine 
residue. 
(9) GOOD
SAMARITAN
PERMIT.—The term 
‘‘Good Samaritan permit’’ means a permit granted 
by the Administrator under section 4(a)(1). 
(10) HISTORIC MINE RESIDUE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘historic 
mine residue’’ means mine residue or any con-
dition at an abandoned hardrock mine site re-
sulting from hardrock mining activities. 
(B) 
INCLUSIONS.—The 
term 
‘‘historic 
mine residue’’ includes— 
(i) previously mined ores and minerals 
other than coal that contribute to acid 
mine drainage or other pollution; 
(ii) equipment (including materials in 
equipment); 
(iii) any tailings facilities, heap leach 
piles, dump leach piles, waste rock, over-
burden, slag piles, or other waste or mate-
rial 
resulting 
from 
any 
extraction, 
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beneficiation, or other processing activity 
that occurred during the active operation 
of an abandoned hardrock mine site; 
(iv) any acidic or otherwise polluted 
flow in surface water or groundwater that 
originates from, or is pooled and contained 
in, an inactive or abandoned hardrock 
mine site, such as underground workings, 
open pits, in-situ leaching operations, 
ponds, or impoundments; 
(v) any hazardous substance (as de-
fined in section 101 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, 
and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 
9601)); 
(vi) any pollutant or contaminant (as 
defined in section 101 of the Comprehen-
sive Environmental Response, Compensa-
tion, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 
9601)); and 
(vii) any pollutant (as defined in sec-
tion 502 of the Federal Water Pollution 
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362)). 
(11) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ 
has the meaning given the term in— 
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(A) section 518(h) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1377(h)); or 
(B) section 101 of the Comprehensive En-
vironmental Response, Compensation, and Li-
ability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601). 
(12) INVESTIGATIVE SAMPLING PERMIT.—The 
term ‘‘investigative sampling permit’’ means a per-
mit granted by the Administrator under section 
4(d)(1). 
(13) PERSON.—The term ‘‘person’’ means any 
entity described in— 
(A) section 502(5) of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1362(5)); or 
(B) section 101(21) of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601(21)). 
(14) REMEDIATION.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘remedi-
ation’’ means any action taken to investigate, 
characterize, or cleanup, in whole or in part, a 
discharge, release, or threat of release of a haz-
ardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant 
into the environment at or from an abandoned 
hardrock mine site, or to otherwise protect and 
improve human health and the environment. 
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(B) INCLUSION.—The term ‘‘remediation’’ 
includes any action to remove, treat, or contain 
historic mine residue to prevent, minimize, or 
reduce— 
(i) the release or threat of release of 
a hazardous substance, pollutant, or con-
taminant that would harm human health 
or the environment; or 
(ii) a migration or discharge of a haz-
ardous substance, pollutant, or contami-
nant that would harm human health or the 
environment. 
(C) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘‘remediation’’ 
does not include any action that requires plug-
ging, opening, or otherwise altering the portal 
or adit of the abandoned hardrock mine site. 
(15) RESERVATION.—The term ‘‘reservation’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian country’’ in 
section 1151 of title 18, United States Code. 
(16) RESPONSIBLE
OWNER
OR
OPERATOR.— 
The term ‘‘responsible owner or operator’’ means a 
person that is— 
(A)(i) legally responsible under section 301 
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 
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U.S.C. 1311) for a discharge that originates 
from an abandoned hardrock mine site; and 
(ii) financially able to comply with each re-
quirement described in that section; or 
(B)(i) a present or past owner or operator 
or other person that is liable with respect to a 
release or threat of release of a hazardous sub-
stance, pollutant, or contaminant associated 
with the historic mine residue at or from an 
abandoned hardrock mine site under section 
104, 106, 107, or 113 of the Comprehensive 
Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9604, 9606, 
9607, 9613); and 
(ii) financially able to comply with each re-
quirement described in those sections, as appli-
cable. 
SEC. 3. SCOPE. 
Nothing in this Act— 
(1) except as provided in section 4(n), reduces 
any existing liability under Federal, State, or local 
law; 
(2) except as provided in section 4(n), releases 
any person from liability under Federal, State, or 
local law, except in compliance with this Act; 
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(3) authorizes the conduct of any mining or 
processing other than the conduct of any processing 
of previously mined ores, minerals, wastes, or other 
materials that is authorized by a Good Samaritan 
permit; 
(4) imposes liability on the United States or a 
Federal land management agency pursuant to sec-
tion 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 
U.S.C. 9607) or section 301 of the Federal Water 
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311); or 
(5) relieves the United States or any Federal 
land management agency from any liability under 
section 107 of the Comprehensive Environmental 
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 
(42 U.S.C. 9607) or section 301 of the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1311) that 
exists apart from any action undertaken pursuant to 
this Act. 
SEC. 4. ABANDONED HARDROCK MINE SITE GOOD SAMARI-
TAN PILOT PROJECT AUTHORIZATION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish a pilot program under which the Adminis-
trator shall grant not more than 15 Good Samaritan 
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permits to carry out projects to remediate historic 
mine residue at any portions of abandoned hardrock 
mine sites in accordance with this Act. 
(2) OVERSIGHT
OF
PERMITS.—The Adminis-
trator may oversee the remediation project under 
paragraph (1), and any action taken by the applica-
ble Good Samaritan or any cooperating person 
under the applicable Good Samaritan permit, for the 
duration of the Good Samaritan permit, as the Ad-
ministrator determines to be necessary to review the 
status of the project. 
(3) SUNSET.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the pilot program described 
in paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date 
that is 7 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
(B) EXCEPTION.—Notwithstanding sub-
paragraph (A), the Administrator may grant a 
Good Samaritan permit pursuant to this Act 
after the date identified in subparagraph (A) if 
the application for the Good Samaritan per-
mit— 
(i) was submitted not later than 180 
days before that date; and 
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(ii) was completed in accordance with 
subsection (c) by not later than 7 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(C) EFFECT ON CERTAIN PERMITS.—Any 
Good Samaritan permit granted by the deadline 
prescribed in subparagraph (A) or (B), as ap-
plicable, that is in effect on the date that is 7 
years after the date of enactment of this Act 
shall remain in effect after that date in accord-
ance with— 
(i) the terms and conditions of the 
Good Samaritan permit; and 
(ii) this Act. 
(b) GOOD SAMARITAN PERMIT ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive a 
Good Samaritan permit to carry out a project to re-
mediate an abandoned hardrock mine site, a person 
shall demonstrate that, as determined by the Admin-
istrator— 
(A) the abandoned hardrock mine site that 
is the subject of the application for a Good Sa-
maritan permit is located in the United States; 
(B) the purpose of the proposed project is 
the remediation at that abandoned hardrock 
mine site of historic mine residue; 
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(C) the proposed activities are designed to 
result in the partial or complete remediation of 
historic 
mine 
residue 
at 
the 
abandoned 
hardrock mine site within the term of the Good 
Samaritan permit; 
(D) the proposed project poses a low risk 
to the environment, as determined by the Ad-
ministrator; 
(E) to the satisfaction of the Adminis-
trator, the person— 
(i) possesses, or has the ability to se-
cure, the financial and other resources nec-
essary— 
(I) to complete the permitted 
work, as determined by the Adminis-
trator; and 
(II) to address any contingencies 
identified in the Good Samaritan per-
mit application described in subsection 
(c); 
(ii) possesses the proper and appro-
priate experience and capacity to complete 
the permitted work; and 
(iii) will complete the permitted work; 
and 
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(F) the person is a Good Samaritan with 
respect to the historic mine residue proposed to 
be covered by the Good Samaritan permit. 
(2) IDENTIFICATION
OF
ALL
RESPONSIBLE 
OWNERS OR OPERATORS.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—A Good Samaritan 
shall make reasonable and diligent efforts to 
identify, from a review of publicly available in-
formation in land records or on internet 
websites of Federal, State, and local regulatory 
authorities, all responsible owners or operators 
of an abandoned hardrock mine site proposed to 
be remediated by the Good Samaritan under 
this section. 
(B) EXISTING
RESPONSIBLE
OWNER
OR 
OPERATOR.—If the Administrator determines, 
based on information provided by a Good Sa-
maritan or otherwise, that a responsible owner 
or operator exists for an abandoned hardrock 
mine site proposed to be remediated by the 
Good Samaritan, the Administrator shall deny 
the application for a Good Samaritan permit. 
(c) APPLICATION FOR PERMITS.—To obtain a Good 
Samaritan permit, a person shall submit to the Adminis-
trator an application, signed by the person and any co-
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operating person, that provides, to the extent known or 
reasonably discoverable by the person on the date on which 
the application is submitted— 
(1) a description of the abandoned hardrock 
mine site (including the boundaries of the aban-
doned hardrock mine site) proposed to be covered by 
the Good Samaritan permit; 
(2) a description of all parties proposed to be 
involved in the remediation project, including any co-
operating person and each member of an applicable 
corporation, association, partnership, consortium, 
joint venture, commercial entity, or nonprofit asso-
ciation; 
(3) evidence that the person has or will acquire 
all legal rights or the authority necessary to enter 
the relevant abandoned hardrock mine site and per-
form the remediation described in the application; 
(4) a detailed description of the historic mine 
residue to be remediated; 
(5) a detailed description of the expertise and 
experience of the person and the resources available 
to the person to successfully implement and com-
plete the remediation plan under paragraph (7); 
(6) to the satisfaction of the Administrator and 
subject to subsection (d), a description of the base-
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line conditions caused by the historic mine residue to 
be remediated that includes— 
(A) the nature and extent of any adverse 
impact on the water quality of any body of 
water caused by the drainage of historic mine 
residue or other discharges from the abandoned 
hardrock mine site; 
(B) the flow rate and concentration of any 
drainage of historic mine residue or other dis-
charge from the abandoned hardrock mine site 
in any body of water that has resulted in an ad-
verse impact described in subparagraph (A); 
and 
(C) any other release or threat of release 
of historic mine residue that has resulted in an 
adverse impact to human health or the environ-
ment; 
(7) subject to subsection (d), a remediation 
plan for the abandoned hardrock mine site that de-
scribes— 
(A) the nature and scope of the proposed 
remediation activities, including— 
(i) any historic mine residue to be ad-
dressed by the remediation plan; and 
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(ii) a description of the goals of the 
remediation including, if applicable, with 
respect to— 
(I) the reduction or prevention of 
a release, threat of release, or dis-
charge to surface waters; or 
(II) other appropriate goals relat-
ing to water or soil; 
(B) each activity that the person proposes 
to take that is— 
(i) designed to— 
(I) improve or enhance water 
quality or site-specific soil or sediment 
quality relevant to the historic mine 
residue addressed by the remediation 
plan, including making measurable 
progress toward achieving applicable 
water quality standards; or 
(II) otherwise protect human 
health and the environment (including 
through the prevention of a release, 
discharge, or threat of release to 
water, sediment, or soil); and 
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(ii) otherwise necessary to carry out 
an activity described in subclause (I) or 
(II) of clause (i); 
(C) a plan describing the monitoring or 
other forms of assessment that will be under-
taken by the person to evaluate the success of 
the activities described in subparagraph (A) 
during and after the remediation, with respect 
to the baseline conditions, as described in para-
graph (6); 
(D) to the satisfaction of the Adminis-
trator, detailed engineering plans for the 
project; 
(E) detailed plans for any proposed recy-
cling or reprocessing of historic mine residue to 
be conducted by the person (including a de-
scription of how all proposed recycling or re-
processing activities contribute to the remedi-
ation of the abandoned hardrock mine site); 
and 
(F) identification of any proposed con-
tractor that will perform any remediation activ-
ity; 
(8) subject to subsection (d), a schedule for the 
work to be carried out under the project, including 
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a schedule for periodic reporting by the person on 
the remediation of the abandoned hardrock mine 
site; 
(9) a health and safety plan that is specifically 
designed for mining remediation work; 
(10) a specific contingency plan that— 
(A) includes provisions on response and 
notification to Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
authorities with jurisdiction over downstream 
waters that have the potential to be impacted 
by an unplanned release or discharge of haz-
ardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants; 
and 
(B) is designed to respond to unplanned 
adverse events (such as adverse weather events 
or a potential fluid release that may result from 
addressing pooled water or hydraulic pressure 
situations), including the sudden release of his-
toric mine residue; 
(11) subject to subsection (d), a project budget 
and description of financial resources that dem-
onstrate that the permitted work, including any op-
eration and maintenance, will be completed; 
(12) subject to subsection (d), information dem-
onstrating that the applicant has the financial re-
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sources to carry out the remediation (including any 
long-term monitoring that may be required by the 
Good Samaritan permit) or the ability to secure an 
appropriate third-party financial assurance, as deter-
mined by the Administrator, to ensure completion of 
the permitted work, including any long-term oper-
ations and maintenance of remediation activities 
that may be— 
(A) proposed in the application for the 
Good Samaritan permit; or 
(B) required by the Administrator as a 
condition of granting the permit; 
(13) subject to subsection (d), a detailed plan 
for any required operation and maintenance of any 
remediation, including a timeline, if necessary; 
(14) subject to subsection (d), a description of 
any planned post-remediation monitoring, if nec-
essary; and 
(15) subject to subsection (d), any other appro-
priate information, as determined by the Adminis-
trator or the applicant. 
(d) INVESTIGATIVE SAMPLING.— 
(1) INVESTIGATIVE SAMPLING PERMITS.—The 
Administrator may grant an investigative sampling 
permit for a period determined by the Administrator 
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to authorize a Good Samaritan to conduct investiga-
tive sampling of historic mine residue, soil, sediment, 
or water to determine— 
(A) baseline conditions; and 
(B) whether the Good Samaritan— 
(i) is willing to perform further reme-
diation to address the historic mine res-
idue; and 
(ii) will proceed with a permit conver-
sion under subsection (e)(1). 
(2) NUMBER OF PERMITS.— 
(A) LIMITATION.— Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Administrator may grant not 
more than 15 investigative sampling permits. 
(B) APPLICABILITY TO CONVERTED PER-
MITS.—An investigative sampling permit that is 
not converted to a Good Samaritan permit pur-
suant to paragraph (5) may be eligible for 
reissuance by the Administrator subject to the 
overall total of not more than 15 investigative 
sampling permits allowed at any 1 time de-
scribed in subparagraph (A). 
(3) APPLICATION.—If a Good Samaritan pro-
poses to conduct investigative sampling, the Good 
Samaritan shall submit to the Administrator an in-
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vestigative sampling permit application that con-
tains, to the satisfaction of the Administrator— 
(A) each description required under para-
graphs (1), (2), and (5) of subsection (c); 
(B) to the extent reasonably known to the 
applicant, any previously documented water 
quality data describing conditions at the aban-
doned hardrock mine site; 
(C) the evidence required under subsection 
(c)(3); 
(D) each plan required under paragraphs 
(9) and (10) of subsection (c); and 
(E) a detailed plan of the investigative 
sampling. 
(4) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—If a person submits an 
application that proposes only investigative 
sampling of historic mine residue, soil, sedi-
ment, or water that only includes the require-
ments described in paragraph (1), the Adminis-
trator may grant an investigative sampling per-
mit that authorizes the person only to carry out 
the plan of investigative sampling of historic 
mine residue, soil, sediment, or water, as de-
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scribed in the investigative sampling permit ap-
plication under paragraph (3). 
(B) 
REPROCESSING.—An 
investigative 
sampling permit— 
(i) shall not authorize a Good Samari-
tan or cooperating person to conduct any 
reprocessing of material; and 
(ii) may authorize metallurgical test-
ing of historic mine residue to determine 
whether reprocessing under subsection 
(f)(4)(B) is feasible. 
(C) REQUIREMENTS
RELATING
TO
SAM-
PLES.—In conducting investigative sampling of 
historic mine residue, soil, sediment, or water, 
a Good Samaritan shall— 
(i) collect samples that are representa-
tive of the conditions present at the aban-
doned hardrock mine site that is the sub-
ject of the investigative sampling permit; 
and 
(ii) retain publicly available records of 
all sampling events for a period of not less 
than 3 years. 
(5) PERMIT
CONVERSION.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which the investigative sam-
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pling under the investigative sampling permit con-
cludes, a Good Samaritan to whom an investigative 
sampling permit is granted under paragraph (1) 
may apply to convert an investigative sampling per-
mit into a Good Samaritan permit under subsection 
(e)(1). 
(6) PERMIT NOT CONVERTED.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B)(ii)(I), a Good Samaritan who obtains 
an investigative sampling permit may decline— 
(i) to apply to convert the investiga-
tive sampling permit into a Good Samari-
tan permit under paragraph (5); and 
(ii) to undertake remediation activities 
on the site where investigative sampling 
was conducted on conclusion of investiga-
tive sampling. 
(B) EFFECT OF LACK OF CONVERSION.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding a 
refusal by a Good Samaritan to convert an 
investigative sampling permit into a Good 
Samaritan permit under subparagraph (A), 
but subject to clause (ii), the provisions of 
paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection 
(n) shall continue to apply to the Good Sa-
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maritan and any cooperating persons after 
the refusal to convert. 
(ii) 
DEGRADATION
OF
SURFACE 
WATER QUALITY.— 
(I) 
OPPORTUNITY
TO
COR-
RECT.—If, before the date on which a 
Good Samaritan refuses to convert an 
investigative sampling permit under 
subparagraph (A), actions by the 
Good Samaritan or any cooperating 
person have caused conditions at the 
abandoned hardrock mine site to be 
measurably worse, as determined by 
the Administrator, when compared to 
conditions described pursuant to para-
graph (3)(B), if applicable, the Ad-
ministrator shall provide the Good Sa-
maritan or cooperating person, as ap-
plicable, the opportunity to return the 
conditions at the abandoned hardrock 
mine site to those conditions. 
(II) EFFECT.—If, pursuant to 
subclause (I), the applicable Good Sa-
maritan or cooperating person does 
not return the surface water quality 
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at the abandoned hardrock mine site 
to conditions described pursuant to 
paragraph (3)(B), if applicable, as de-
termined by the Administrator, clause 
(i) shall not apply to the Good Samar-
itan or any cooperating persons. 
(e) INVESTIGATIVE SAMPLING CONVERSION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A person to which an inves-
tigative sampling permit was granted may submit to 
the Administrator an application in accordance with 
paragraph (2) to convert the investigative sampling 
permit into a Good Samaritan permit. 
(2) APPLICATION.— 
(A) INVESTIGATIVE SAMPLING.—An appli-
cation for the conversion of an investigative 
sampling permit under paragraph (1) shall in-
clude any requirement described in subsection 
(c) that was not included in full in the applica-
tion submitted under subsection (d)(3). 
(B) PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT.—An 
application for permit conversion under this 
paragraph shall be subject to— 
(i) environmental review and public 
comment procedures required by sub-
section (l); and 
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United States, the Administrator shall be a co-
operating agency for purposes of an environ-
mental assessment and public comment under 
this subsection. 
(E) SINGLE NEPA DOCUMENT.—The lead 
agency described in subparagraph (B) may con-
duct a single environmental assessment for— 
(i) the issuance of a Good Samaritan 
permit; 
(ii) any activities authorized by a 
Good Samaritan permit; and 
(iii) any applicable permits required 
by the Secretary of the Interior or the Sec-
retary of Agriculture. 
(F) NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—A Good Samaritan 
permit may only be issued if, after an envi-
ronmental assessment, the head of the lead 
agency issues a finding of no significant 
impact (as defined in section 111 of the 
National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4336e)). 
(ii) SIGNIFICANT
IMPACT.—If the 
head of the lead agency is unable to issue 
a finding of no significant impact (as so 
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