Gold King Mine Spill Recovery Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-3602
Sponsor: Rep. Lujan, Ben Ray [D-NM-3]
Introduced: 2015-09-24 in the House
Policy area: Environmental Protection
Subjects: Colorado
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal-Indian relations
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Intergovernmental relations
Lakes and rivers
Metals
Mining
New Mexico
Pollution liability
Public contracts and procurement
State and local government operations
Utah
Water quality
Watersheds

Summary:
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: 

Gold King Mine Spill Recovery Act of 2015

 
This bill entitles persons to compensation for allowable damages (i.e., property, business, or financial losses) under the Federal Tort Claims Act if they were injured by the spill into Cement Creek from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. The spill occurred on August 5, 2015.
 
The bill establishes an Office of Gold King Mine Spill Claims within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to process and pay compensation claims.
 
The EPA must work with affected states and Indian tribes to develop, fund, and implement a long-term monitoring program for water quality of the Animas and San Juan Rivers in response to the spill.
 
The bill amends the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 by requiring certain agencies to work with affected states as well as research universities to: (1) identify the most dangerous abandoned and inactive mines, (2) establish a priority plan for cleaning up those mines, (3) update the plan as new information becomes available, and (4) develop a long-term research initiative. That initiative must evaluate the physical, chemical, and geological attributes of closed, abandoned, and inactive mines and pursue technological developments to aid in the cleanup of those mines.
 
Prior to carrying out mine remediation activities, agencies must: (1) provide affected tribal, state, and local governments notice of such activities; and (2) develop a spill prevention, control, and countermeasures plan for avoiding and mitigating the impacts of a spill.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-10-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
action_date: 2015-09-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
action_date: 2015-09-25
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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.
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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.
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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.
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, 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.
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-09-24
text: Introduced in House