‘‘(C) identification of the past and current 
owners and operators of the proposed project 
site; 
‘‘(D) the agreement or contract between 
the relevant State and the Community Re-
claimer to carry out the project; 
‘‘(E) a determination that the project will 
facilitate the activities of the State reclamation 
plan under subsection (e); 
‘‘(F) sufficient information to determine 
whether the Community Reclaimer has the 
technical capability and expertise to successfully 
conduct the proposed project; 
‘‘(G) a cost estimate for the project and 
evidence that the Community Reclaimer has 
sufficient financial resources to ensure the suc-
cessful completion of the proposed project (in-
cluding any operation or maintenance costs); 
‘‘(H) a schedule for completion of the 
project; 
‘‘(I) an agreement between the Community 
Reclaimer and the current owner of the site 
governing access to the site;
‘‘(J) sufficient information to ensure that 
the Community Reclaimer meets the definition 
under paragraph (3); 
‘‘(K) a contingency plan designed to be 
used in response to unplanned adverse events 
that includes emergency actions, response, and 
notifications; 
‘‘(L) detailed plans for any proposed recy-
cling or reprocessing of historic mine residue to 
be conducted by the Community Reclaimer (in-
cluding a description of how all proposed recy-
cling or reprocessing activities contribute to the 
remediation of the abandoned mine site); and 
‘‘(M) a requirement that the State provide 
notice to adjacent and downstream landowners 
and the public and hold a public meeting near 
the proposed project site before the project is 
initiated. 
‘‘(3) REPROCESSING OF MATERIALS.—A Com-
munity Reclaimer may reprocess materials recovered 
during the implementation of a remediation plan 
only if— 
‘‘(A) the applicable land management 
agency has signed a decision document approv-
ing reprocessing as part of the approved aban-
doned mine reclamation plan of the State; 
‘‘(B) the proceeds from the sale or use of 
the materials are used— 
‘‘(i) to defray the costs of the remedi-
ation; and 
‘‘(ii) to reimburse the Administrator 
or the head of a Federal land management 
agency for the purpose of carrying out this 
Act; and 
‘‘(C) the materials only include historic 
mine residue. 
‘‘(4) COMMUNITY
RECLAIMER
DEFINED.—For 
purposes of this section, the term ‘Community Re-
claimer’ means any person who— 
‘‘(A) seeks to voluntarily assist a State 
with a reclamation project under this section, 
which may include companies that currently 
hold reclamation liability elsewhere from the 
proposed site or active mine sites that require 
a performance bond; 
‘‘(B) did not participate in any way in the 
creation of site conditions at the proposed 
project site or activities that caused any lands 
or waters at the proposed project site to become
eligible for reclamation or drainage abatement 
expenditures under section 404; and 
‘‘(C) is not subject to outstanding viola-
tions listed pursuant to section 510(c).’’. 
SEC. 4. CLARIFYING STATE LIABILITY FOR MINE DRAINAGE 
PROJECTS. 
Section 413(d) (30 U.S.C. 1242(d)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘unless such control or treatment will be con-
ducted in accordance with a State memorandum of under-
standing approved under section 405(m) of this Act’’ after 
‘‘under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act’’. 
SEC. 5. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. 
Section 405(f) (30 U.S.C. 1235(f)) is amended— 
(1) by striking the ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon in 
paragraph (6); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (7) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by inserting at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) a list of projects proposed under sub-
section (n).’’.
SEC. 6. SUNSET PROVISION. 
This Act shall be in effect until September 30, 2032. 
Passed the House of Representatives May 13, 2025. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 167 
AN ACT 
To amend the Surface Mining Control and Rec-
lamation 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.