CLAIM Act of 2025

Key Points

• This bill increases the yearly fees that companies and individuals must pay to keep mining claims on federal land. Currently, these fees are much lower. The new plan sets the cost based on how close the mining site is to a National Park or National Monument.
• Mining sites located inside or right next to a National Park would see the highest fees at $1,100 per year. Sites further away would pay less, with the lowest fee being $300 for claims more than 30 miles from a protected area. These fees will be adjusted for inflation every five years.
• Small miners are protected from these price hikes. To qualify as a small miner, a person must hold fewer than 10 claims, make less than $50,000 a year from mining, and use only basic hand tools rather than heavy machinery or explosives.
• The extra money collected from these fees will go toward several environmental and community programs. This includes cleaning up old abandoned mines, supporting Tribal historic preservation, and funding improvements for National Parks and public lands.

Impact Analysis

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