In January, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) introduced the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009, HR 699. The bill is the same bill that passed the House of Representatives on November 1, 2007.
This bill would be a huge help not only to our environmental and our communities, but would help our western economy as well. View a fact sheet about this bill prepared by EARTHWORKS, one of our Coalition member groups. The Arizona Mining Reform Coalition supports the passage of this bill.
On April 2, S. 796, the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2009, was introduced in the US Senate by Senator Bingaman (D-NM). This bill does not go nearly as far to protect our public lands as the House version and the Coalition, while recognizing that the bill is a huge improvement does not support the bill. View the Coalition’s fact sheet on S. 796.
A hearing on S 796 and S 140 (View the Coalition’s fact sheet on S. 140), a mine reclamation bill intoduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) was held on July 14 in front of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee. View the written testimony submitted by the Arizona Mining Reform Coalition for the hearing record.