Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act of 2026
Congress proposes higher coal mine cleanup bond standards to reduce risk taxpayers pay for reclamation
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- Requires coal mining companies to post bonds that more realistically cover the full cost to clean up and restore mined land if a company walks away.
- Sets a nationwide minimum bond amount of $52,593 per permit (updated each year for inflation), while still allowing regulators to require higher amounts.
- Tells regulators to factor in inflation, early or sudden mine closures, and extra cleanup costs when setting bond amounts.
- When a mining permit is sold or transferred, the bond must be recalculated, and major owners can still be held responsible for cleanup costs.
- Requires inspectors to quickly flag site changes that could raise cleanup costs, and makes inspection info available to the public electronically.րմ
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Coal mining companies — many of which are small or mid-sized operations — would face significantly higher bond requirements before they can get or keep their mining permits. The new rules require bonds to cover realistic cleanup costs including inflation, early closure scenarios, and the possibility that regulators have to step in. For smaller operators, this means tying up more money upfront, which could strain finances or make some mining operations uneconomical.
Broader Impacts
State Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act of 2026
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
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