To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to protect taxpayers from liability associated with the reclamation of surface coal mining operations, and for other purposes.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9029 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9029 To amend the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to protect taxpayers from liability associated with the reclamation of surface coal mining operations, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 26, 2026 Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania (for herself, Mr. Deluzio, and Mr. Beyer) 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 protect taxpayers from liability associated with the reclamation of surface coal mining operations, 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 ``Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. SURFACE COAL MINING BONDING. Section 509 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1259) is amended-- (1) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: ``(c) Alternative Bonding System.-- ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may approve as part of a State or Federal program an alternative system that will-- ``(A) achieve the objectives and purposes of the bonding program pursuant to this section; and ``(B) result in no greater risk of financial liability to the Federal Government or a State government than the bonding program under this section. ``(2) Report required.--The Secretary may only approve an alternative bonding system for a State under paragraph (1) if such State submits a report to the Secretary that provides the following information: ``(A) A history of bond forfeitures and reclamation costs in such