Mining Schools Enhancement Act

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)

Mining Schools Enhancement Act

(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to require the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) of the Department of the Interior to ensure that at least 70% of specified research funds are expended to enhance and support programs at mining and mineral engineering schools in the United States.

In addition, OSMRE shall ensure that research activities relate to conventional fuel resource development and production.

[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3734 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3734

  To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to 
       provide support to mining schools, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 9, 2015

  Mr. Hardy (for himself and Mr. Perlmutter) 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 
       provide support to mining schools, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mining Schools Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. SUPPORT FOR MINING SCHOOLS.

    Section 721 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 
1977 (30 U.S.C. 1309b) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation 
        and Enforcement'' and inserting the following:
    ``(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(b) Mining Program Support.--
            ``(1) Of the amounts made available under this Act for 
        activities authorized under this section, the Director of the 
        Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement shall 
        ensure that at least 70 percent is expended to enhance and 
        support mining and mineral engineering programs in the United 
        States by funding activities at mining schools.
            ``(2) In expending funds under this section, the Director 
        shall consult with relevant stakeholders and ensure a 
        significant opportunity for participation by undergraduate and 
        graduate students at mining schools.
            ``(3) The Director shall ensure that the activities 
        conducted under this section relate to conventional fuel 
        resource development and production, and include--
                    ``(A) studies of mining, mineral extraction 
                efficiency, and related processing technology;
                    ``(B) mineral economics, reclamation technology, 
                and practices for active mining operations;
                    ``(C) the development of remining systems and 
                technologies that facilitate reclamation that fosters 
                the recovery of resources at abandoned mine sites;
                    ``(D) investigations of mineral resource extraction 
                methods that reduce environmental and human impacts;
                    ``(E) reducing dependence on foreign energy 
                supplies; and
                    ``(F) enhancing the competitiveness of United 
                States energy technology exports.
    ``(c) Mining School Defined.--In this section the term `mining 
school' means a mining or mineral engineering program or department 
accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, 
Inc., that is located at an institution of higher education (as that 
term is defined in section 631(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 
(20 U.S.C. 1132(a))) in the United States.''.
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