Hickenlooper, Bennet Celebrate Senate Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Help Good Samaritans Clean Up Abandoned Hardrock Mines

Senators' Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act passed the Senate unanimously

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet celebrated the Senate unanimously passing their bipartisan Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act. The legislation would make it easier for "good samaritans", such as state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, and other groups, to clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines.

"Abandoned mines threaten our water, soil, and quality of life. But we turn away agencies and groups who are ready to help," said Hickenlooper. "It's time we welcome all the help we can get to clean up these mines and protect our watersheds and ecosystems."

"Thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado and across the American West threaten our watersheds and pollute our ecosystems," said Bennet. "I'm grateful for the strong bipartisan support to pass this legislation to make it easier for our state, local governments, and nonprofits to clean up these mines, help reduce pollution, and improve water quality."

Thousands of abandoned hardrock mines across the country pose environmental hazards. "Good Samaritan" organizations with no legal or financial responsibility to an abandoned mine want to volunteer to remediate some of these mines, but liability rules would leave these organizations legally responsible for all pre-existing pollution from those mines.

The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act creates a pilot permitting program to enable cleanup to move forward while ensuring these Good Samaritans have the resources to comply with federal oversight. This program is aimed at lower-risk projects that will improve water and soil quality or otherwise protect human health.

Text of the bill available HERE.

The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives and then President Biden's desk for final signature.

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