To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

Amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, with respect to the allocation of surface mining reclamation funds to states and Indian tribes, to authorize uncertified states and Indian tribes to use certain unexpended and unappropriated balance amounts for: (1) acid mine drainage abatement and treatment, and (2) noncoal abandoned mine land reclamation.

Modifies limitations placed upon the allocation of such surface mining reclamation funds to provide for payments for filling voids and sealing tunnels and entryways of noncoal mines as well as coal mines.

("Uncertified states and Indian tribes" are those which have not certified to the Secretary of the Interior completion of their abandoned coal mine reclamation work.)

[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 488 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 488

  To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 
clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to 
     use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 4, 2013

Mr. Pearce (for himself and Mr. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico) introduced 
  the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural 
                               Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 
clarify that uncertified States and Indian tribes have the authority to 
     use certain payments for certain noncoal reclamation projects.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. ABANDONED MINE RECLAMATION.

    (a) Reclamation Fee.--Section 402(g)(6)(A) of the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1232(g)(6)(A)) is 
amended by inserting ``and section 411(h)(1)'' after ``paragraphs (1) 
and (5)''.
    (b) Filling Voids and Sealing Tunnels.--Section 409(b) of the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1239(b)) 
is amended by inserting ``and section 411(h)(1)'' after ``section 
402(g)''.
    (c) Use of Funds.--Section 411(h)(1)(D)(ii) of the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1240a(h)(1)(D)(ii)) is 
amended by striking ``section 403'' and inserting ``section 402(g)(6), 
403, or 409''.
                                 <all>