In the News

Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08) introduced a pair of bills to help ensure accountability and save taxpayers millions by addressing and preventing “zombie mines,” idled modern-era mines that have not been cleaned up by irresponsible coal companies.

The Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act, co-led by Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06), will help ensure coal companies restore mine lands across the country to their original state after mining operations cease.  

The Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) was supposed to ensure that mines would not be abandoned without sufficient funding available to clean up and reclaim them. Typically, these funds would be made available in the form of bonds provided by the mine operator as part of the initial permitting process. If the mine operator failed and did not restore a mine to usable land, the bond would be forfeited, providing the state with enough money to cover the cost of cleanup.