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S 1777 111th Congress Senate Environmental Protection Hazardous wastes and toxic substances Licensing and registrations Mining Pollution liability Water quality

Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2009

Introduced: October 13, 2009 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Oct 13, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure introduced: CR S10368-10372)
Oct 13, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10367-10368)
Oct 13, 2009
Introduced in Senate
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Good Samaritan Cleanup of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2009 - Sets forth provisions to encourage the partial or complete remediation of inactive and abandoned mine sites for the public good by good samaritans (defined as individuals or entities who had no role in the creation of the historic mine residue or any resulting environmental pollution and are not legally responsible for the remediation of the historic mine residue). Defines "inactive or abandoned mine site" as a mine site located in the United States that is no longer actively mined and that was used for the production of a mineral other than coal and has historic mine residue.

Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) to authorize a permitting authority (i.e., the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] or a state or Indian tribe with an approved good samaritan program) to issue good samaritan discharge permits. Sets forth requirements for the issuance of such permits, including the applicant's submission of a detailed remediation plan and a determination by a permitting authority that such plan preserves water quality. Grants a release from liability under such Act to good samaritans who comply with a discharge permit approved under the terms of this Act.

Terminates the authority to issue good samaritan discharge permits ten years after enactment of this Act.

What's happening now October 13, 2009

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. (text of measure introduced: CR S10368-10372)

 Committees of jurisdiction 1