After passing Senate and House, bipartisan legislation heads to President’s desk
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet applauded the House passage of their Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act. This legislation, which would make it easier for ‘Good Samaritans’ such as state agencies, local governments, and nonprofits to clean up abandoned hardrock mines, previously passed the Senate unanimously this summer and it now heads to the President’s desk.
“Tens of thousands of abandoned mines across Colorado and the West are releasing acid and heavy metals into our water,” said Hickenlooper. “Good faith actors are ready to help clean up these mines. All we have to do is cut the red tape and let them.”
“Thousands of abandoned mines pollute our ecosystems and threaten our watersheds in Colorado and across the West,” said Bennet. “This bill will make it easier for our state, local governments, and nonprofits to clean up these mines, reduce pollution, and improve water quality. It’s common sense for Coloradans, and I look forward to President Biden signing it into law.”
Across the United States, thousands of abandoned hardrock mines pose environmental hazards. “Good Samaritan” organizations with no legal or financial responsibility to an abandoned mine want to volunteer to remediate some of these mines, but liability rules would leave these organizations legally responsible for all pre-existing pollution from those mines.
The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act creates a pilot permitting program to enable not-for-profit cleanup efforts to move forward, while ensuring Good Samaritans have the skills and resources to comply with federal oversight. This pilot program is designed for lower risk projects that will improve water and soil quality or otherwise protect human health.
“Colorado voices have long called for legislation to empower Good Samaritans to conduct mine remediation projects, and with more than 23,000 abandoned mines statewide, the significance for our waters is clear. We look forward to seeing one or more pilot projects under this bill take place here in Colorado, so that we and our partners can finally roll up our sleeves and get to work improving water quality. Colorado’s U.S. Senators have been leaders on Good Samaritan legislation for decades, and we thank Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper for all their hard work and dedication in bringing this commonsense legislation to fruition,” said David Nickum, Executive Director, Colorado Trout Unlimited.
The text of the bill is available HERE.
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