A bill to amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to facilitate the use of abandoned mine reclamation fund moneys to replace water supplies that have been contaminated or diminished by coal mining practices.
Amends the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to provide that the geographic allocation of expenditures from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund shall reflect both the area from which the revenue was derived and the national program needs for the funds.
Requires the Secretary of the Interior to allocate annually to each State or Indian reservation the amount of reclamation fees and penalties collected in that State or reservation.
Cites conditions under which mandatory allocations will be discontinued if the Fund's reclamation objectives have been attained in a particular State.
Requires revocation of mandatory allocations that have not been expended within three years and makes them available for discretionary allocation for reclamation purposes.
Modifies the priority ranking for the Fund's objectives to raise the priority for constructing public water treatment and distribution facilities to replace water supplies adversely affected by coal mining practices undertaken predominantly before August 3, 1977.
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources requested executive comment from Department of the Interior, and Office of Management and Budget.