Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025

Bill Number: H.R. 167
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Environmental Protection
Status: Passed House
Latest Action: 2025-05-14: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Last Updated: 2026-07-10T20:08:25Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025 amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to allow states to partner with nongovernmental groups—called "Community Reclaimers"—to clean up and restore land and water damaged by coal mining that occurred before August 3, 1977 (known as abandoned mine lands). The goal is to improve water quality, address pollution from old mine drainage (acidic water runoff from mines), and make cleanup efforts more efficient through voluntary private involvement.

Key Provisions

State Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) for Mine Drainage Remediation (New Subsection 405(m)):
States with approved surface mining programs can create MOUs with federal or state agencies to tackle water pollution from abandoned mine drainage.
MOUs must outline strategies to improve water quality, including monitoring, sampling, reporting, and maintaining treatment systems.
Before approval, states must hold public meetings, invite comments (with at least 15 days' notice via newspapers, internet, etc.), and respond to public feedback.
States submit MOUs to the Secretary of the Interior and the EPA Administrator, who must approve or reject within 120 days if it supports the state's reclamation plan.
Approved MOUs become part of the state's official reclamation plan.

Community Reclaimer Partnerships (New Subsection 405(n)):
The Secretary of the Interior must approve projects within 120 days if they meet criteria, such as being led by a qualified Community Reclaimer (a voluntary nongovernmental entity or company not responsible for the original pollution and without major violations).
Projects must target inventoried abandoned mine sites, align with state MOUs (if involving drainage), and avoid sites needing major permits under air quality laws.
States must agree to cover costs or damages from the project (except for gross negligence or intentional misconduct by the reclaimer), ensure legal authority and funding, and handle public notices and meetings.
Project submissions require details like engineering plans, site descriptions, cost estimates, schedules, contingency plans for emergencies, and agreements for site access.
Community Reclaimers can reprocess (recycle or reuse) historic mine waste materials only if approved, with proceeds used to offset cleanup costs or reimburse federal agencies, and only for eligible residues.

Clarification on State Liability (Amendment to Section 413(d)):
States are protected from certain water pollution liabilities if mine drainage treatment follows an approved MOU.

Conforming Amendments (to Section 405(f)):
States' reclamation plans must now include a list of proposed Community Reclaimer projects.

Sunset Provision (Section 6):
The act expires on September 30, 2032.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

New Authorization for Partnerships: Introduces formal MOUs and Community Reclaimer projects, enabling states to collaborate with private entities for abandoned mine cleanup, which was not previously outlined in detail.
Liability Protections: Shifts responsibility to states for most project-related costs or damages (with exceptions), reducing barriers for nongovernmental involvement and clarifying exemptions from federal water pollution rules for approved activities.
Reprocessing Allowance: Permits limited recycling of old mine materials to fund remediation, a new option not previously specified, as long as it supports cleanup goals.
Public and Approval Processes: Adds mandatory public input and streamlined federal approvals (120-day timelines) to integrate these efforts into existing state plans.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: The Department of the Interior and EPA may see increased project approvals and oversight, potentially easing federal workload by leveraging state and private resources for faster cleanups of over 12,000 abandoned mine sites nationwide. States gain flexibility but assume more liability and funding responsibilities.
Citizens: Residents in mining-impacted areas (e.g., Appalachia, Midwest) could benefit from cleaner water, restored land for recreation or development, and reduced health risks from acid mine drainage. Public input ensures community voices in projects, though nearby landowners may face temporary disruptions.
International Relations: No direct impacts, as the act focuses on domestic U.S. mining legacy issues.

Main Stakeholders Affected

States: Primary implementers, especially those with historic coal mining (e.g., Pennsylvania, West Virginia); they handle approvals, liability, and integration into plans.
Federal Agencies: Department of the Interior (oversees approvals and inventories) and EPA (reviews water quality aspects).
Nongovernmental Entities (Community Reclaimers): Voluntary groups, companies, or subcontractors not linked to past pollution; they gain opportunities to lead projects and potentially profit from material reprocessing.
Local Communities and Landowners: Affected by site cleanups, with rights to comment and access; downstream users benefit from improved water quality.
Federal Land Managers: Involved in approving reprocessing on public lands.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Enhances federalism by empowering states in environmental remediation while maintaining federal oversight; limits liability to encourage participation but requires states to have legal authority and resources, potentially leading to more lawsuits if contingencies fail. Aligns with existing abandoned mine land funding (from coal taxes) without new appropriations.
Constitutional: Supports cooperative federalism under the Commerce Clause (regulating interstate environmental harms) and property rights by restoring damaged lands; public comment requirements uphold due process.
Political: Promotes bipartisan environmental goals by involving communities and private sector in legacy pollution cleanup, addressing economic revitalization in rural areas without expanding regulations; the 2032 sunset allows evaluation of effectiveness before permanence.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. LaHood, Darin [R-IL-16]

Recent Actions

2025-05-14: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
2025-05-13: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
2025-05-13: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1970-1971)
2025-05-13: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1970-1971)
2025-05-13: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 167.
2025-05-13: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1970-1972)
2025-05-13: Mr. Westerman moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
2025-01-03: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
2025-01-03: Introduced in House
2025-01-03: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-13 — PDF (14 pages)
Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025 — issued 2025-01-03 — PDF (11 pages)
Community Reclamation Partnerships Act of 2025 — issued 2025-05-14 — PDF (12 pages)