CLEAN UP Mines Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill requires coal companies to clean up and restore land much faster after they finish mining. Companies would have to start filling in holes and leveling the ground within 180 days of the last coal being pulled out. They must also finish planting new grass and trees within three years of the mine closing.
• Coal mining companies would face stricter rules and more frequent inspections. If a mine stops working for six months, the company must either prove they are following cleanup rules or show a plan to start mining again within a year. This is meant to prevent companies from leaving empty mines that sit for years without being fixed.
• The bill demands better protection for local water sources. It requires companies to test surface and groundwater every three months to check for pollution. It also requires an annual checkup on the health of nearby streams and special inspections after heavy rainstorms to make sure runoff is not damaging the environment.
• To make sure the work gets done, the government would change how it handles the insurance money companies pay before they start mining. Companies would only get their money back if they meet these new, faster deadlines for restoring the land and water to a healthy state.

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