Sponsors (3)
The bill shifts more of the financial risk of mine reclamation onto operators (reducing future taxpayer cleanup liability and environmental harm) at the cost of higher compliance and bonding burdens that could raise production costs, strain small operators, and require more regulator capacity.
Residents near mines and local governments: lower risk of unpaid mine cleanup and reduced long-term water-pollution hazards because bonds must cover reclamation costs, a statutory minimum (indexed to CPI-U), and post-mining water-treatment/discharge costs.
Taxpayers: reduced likelihood of bearing forfeiture cleanup costs because bonds must reflect likely reclamation costs and regulators can require higher amounts to cover foreseeable liabilities.
Communities and regulators: stronger enforcement and responsiveness because inspectors must report condition changes that increase reclamation costs, triggering bond recalculations and adjustments.
Consumers and regional economies: possible higher energy prices or accelerated mine closures because higher bonding costs can raise coal production costs.
Small mining operators and related businesses: higher upfront and ongoing compliance costs from a nontrivial statutory minimum bond and more frequent recalculations and top-ups.
Owners and investors with significant stakes (>=30%): increased legal and financial exposure because of joint-and-several liability for reclamation costs.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Tightens coal mine reclamation bonding: sets a CPI-indexed $52,593 minimum, presumes 5-year closure for bond setting, mandates recalculation on transfers, joint liability for major owners, inspector reporting, and 90‑day rulemaking.
Introduced January 27, 2026 by Chris Deluzio · Last progress January 27, 2026
Increases and tightens federal coal mine reclamation bonding rules by setting a CPI-indexed statutory minimum bond, requiring bonds to account for likely early closures and inflation, and making permit holders and major owners jointly liable. It also requires inspectors to report site changes that could raise reclamation costs and directs the Interior Department to issue rules within 90 days using forfeiture-reclamation data to set minimum bond benchmarks. The changes force bond recalculations before permit transfers or revisions, create a rebuttable presumption that a mine will close five years after permit issuance for bond-setting purposes, and raise transparency and enforcement tools to reduce the risk that taxpayers pay for unreclaimed mine sites.