Sponsors (7)
The bill shifts federal policy toward stronger, science-based health and environmental protections and public transparency for communities near mountaintop-removal mines, at the cost of economic disruption for coal-dependent areas, higher compliance and administrative costs, and increased tension and legal uncertainty between federal and local authorities.
Residents living near mountaintop removal sites (rural Appalachian communities, children, and families) gain stronger health protections because new permits are paused pending federal health determinations and continuous monthly monitoring of water, air, noise, and soil is required and publicly posted.
People downstream and local ecosystems benefit from reduced pollution and habitat destruction because halting new or expanded valley fills and enforcing monitoring reduces contaminant discharges to waterways and protects public lands.
Communities, local agencies, and hospitals receive clearer, science-based information because the bill requires a public federal health assessment and searchable monthly monitoring data, enabling planning and faster responses if risks are identified.
Workers and families in coal-dependent Appalachian counties face job losses, lower local tax revenue, and broader economic harm if new permits and expansions are halted or existing projects are delayed.
Mountaintop-removal operators face significant new costs (continuous monitoring equipment, monthly reporting, and statutory fees) that could be passed on to consumers or reduce local investment.
Federal agencies (HHS/NIEHS, DOI/OSMRE, EPA) and taxpayers will bear administrative and staffing costs to conduct studies, operate a public database, collect fees, and run interagency coordination, potentially diverting resources from other priorities.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Stops new federal permits/renewals for Appalachian mountaintop removal mining until HHS finds no health risk; mandates federal health study, continuous monitoring, public data, and a one-time operator fee.
Official title: To place a moratorium on the issuance and renewal of certain Federal authorizations for mountaintop removal coal mining until a health study is conducted, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 23, 2025 by Morgan McGarvey · Last progress July 23, 2025
Stops new federal permits and renewals for mountaintop removal coal mining in steep-slope Appalachian areas until the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determines the practice poses no health risk. It directs the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to lead a comprehensive health study, requires continuous local environmental monitoring and public reporting by operators, and charges a one-time fee to past and current operators to cover federal costs for the study and monitoring oversight. Implements temporary permit blocks, mandatory water/air/soil/noise monitoring with public data posting, and a federally managed health assessment process; monitoring and permit blocks end only if HHS issues a finding that mountaintop removal mining is not a health risk to nearby residents.