,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cgac ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #d1 #bjbe,mr4 ,crane 7for himself and ,mr4 ,stanton7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce1 and in addition to the ,committees on ,transportation and ,infrastructure1 and ,natural ,resources1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to establish within the ,environmental ,protection ,agency the ,office of ,mountains1 ,deserts1 and ,plains1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,legacy ,mine ,cleanup ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,office of ,mountains1 ,deserts1 and ,plains 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,administrator ,the term ,administrator means the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7#b7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,senate2 7,b7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,natural ,resources of the ,senate2 7,c7 the ,committee on ,environment and ,public ,works of the ,senate2 7,d7 the ,committee on ,health1 ,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the ,senate2 7,e7 the ,committee on ,indian ,affairs of the ,senate2 7,f7 the ,committee on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,g7 the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,h7 the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure of the ,house of ,representatives2 7,i7 the ,committee on ,natural ,resources of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,j7 the ,committee on ,oversight and ,accountability of the ,house of ,representatives4 7#c7 ,cleanup action ,the term cleanup action means #a or more actions taken to address contaminated media at a covered mine site pursuant to #a or more existing authorities of the ,administrator1 including-- 7,a7 the ,comprehensive ,environmental ,response1 ,compensation1 and ,liability ,act of #aihj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ifja et seq472 7,b7 the ,good ,samaritan ,remediation of ,abandoned ,hardrock ,mines ,act of #bjbd 7#cj ,u4,s4,c4 #abde note2 ,public ,law #aah-aee72 7,c7 the ,solid ,waste ,disposal ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #fija et seq472 7,d7 the ,federal ,water ,pollution ,control ,act 7#cc ,u4,s4,c4 #abea et seq472 and 7,e7 any other existing authority of the ,administrator4 7#d7 ,covered mine site ,the term covered mine site means the land1 water1 and surrounding watersheds where extraction1 beneficiation1 or processing of hardrock ores or minerals occurred1 but has been discontinued1 including discontinued temporarily4 7#e7 ,indian country ,the term ,indian country has the meaning given the term in section #aaea of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#f7 ,navajo ,nation abandoned uranium mine site ,the term ,navajo ,nation abandoned uranium mine site means an abandoned uranium covered mine site on land of the ,navajo ,nation4 7#g7 ,office ,the term ,office means the ,office of ,mountains1 ,deserts1 and ,plains established by subsection 7b77#a74 7#h7 ,regional ,office ,the term ,regional ,office means a ,regional ,office of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency4 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,there is established within the office of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency that administers solid waste programs the ,office of ,mountains1 ,deserts1 and ,plains4 7#b7 ,director ,the ,office shall be headed by a ,director1 to be selected by the ,administrator 7or a designee74 7c7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the ,office shall be-- 7#a7 to coordinate between the headquarters of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 ,regional ,offices1 and stakeholders on cleanup actions of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency at a covered mine site1 including a covered mine site in ,indian country1 in accordance with ,federal law2 7#b7 to establish and disseminate best practices for covered mine site cleanup actions1 including identifying-- 7,a7 innovative technologies and reuse approaches that support and make progress toward those cleanup actions2 and 7,b7 waste storage and disposal solutions2 7#c7 to coordinate among the headquarters of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 ,regional ,offices1 ,federal land management agencies1 ,states1 ,indian ,tribes1 and voluntary nongovernmental organizations1 watershed groups1 nonliable entities and mining companies1 and other entities on voluntary cleanup actions at covered mine sites1 where applicable1 including timely issuance of administrative guidance for nonliable parties2 7#d7 to coordinate within the ,environmental ,protection ,agency and with other ,federal agencies to encourage contracting opportunities for small businesses to participate in cleanup actions at covered mine sites1 consistent with applicable ,federal procurement authorities2 7#e7 to coordinate with the ,secretary of the ,interior1 the ,secretary of ,agriculture1 the ,secretary of ,energy1 the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 the ,nuclear ,regulatory ,commission1 and other ,federal agencies1 as the ,administrator determines to be appropriate1 to ensure interagency coordination of covered mine site cleanup actions1 with priority given to coordinating cleanup actions at covered mine sites for which there is no potentially responsible party2 and 7#f7 to coordinate other actions as the ,administrator determines to be appropriate1 pursuant to existing authorities of the ,administrator-- 7,a7 to support efforts to investigate1 characterize1 or clean up a discharge1 release1 or threat of release of a hazardous substance1 pollutant1 or contaminant into the environment at or from a covered mine site2 or 7,b7 to establish best practices to protect and improve human health and the environment and implement appropriate reuse options1 including through the use of innovative technologies to recover valuable resources from covered mine site features or areas1 as applicable4 7d7 ,duties ,the ,administrator shall carry out through the ,office1 at a minimum1 the following duties3 7#a7 ,priority mine list 7,a7 ,in general ,annually1 the ,administrator shall identify covered mine sites that are prioritized for cleanup actions1 which may include covered mine sites that are or are not included on the ,national ,priorities ,list developed by the ,president in accordance with section #aje7;a77#h77;,b7 of the ,comprehensive ,environmental ,response1 ,compensation1 and ,liability ,act of #aihj 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #ifje7;a77#h77;,b774 7,b7 ,creation of list2 reports ,the ,administrator shall annually-- 7i7 create a list of covered mine sites identified under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report describing-- 7,i7 the methodology used to identify those covered mine sites under that subparagraph2 and 7,,ii7 the status of cleanup actions carried out at covered mine sites on the list4 7,c7 ,coordination ,the ,administrator shall-- 7i7 regularly coordinate with ,regional ,offices1 ,federal agencies1 ,states1 ,indian ,tribes1 ,alaska ,native ,corporations1 and stakeholders to update the list of covered mine sites identified under subparagraph 7,a72 and 7ii7 regularly coordinate with ,regional ,offices on cleanup actions and share best practices with respect to each covered mine site identified under subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,process improvement 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall1 pursuant to existing authorities of the ,administrator-- 7i7 identify best practices for developing1 reviewing1 and approving site assessments1 remedial investigations1 and feasibility studies for covered mine sites2 7ii7 coordinate research relating to technologies and cleanup approaches that are the most successful in limiting the acute and chronic risks posed to human health and the environment by covered mine sites2 and 7iii7 support-- 7,i7 government-to-government consultations with ,indian ,tribes with respect to a covered mine site located within ,indian country2 and 7,,ii7 efforts to provide regular updates to the ,tribal governments involved in cleanup actions for a covered mine site located on ,tribal land under the jurisdiction of the ,indian ,tribe4 7,b7 ,tribal consultation ,in supporting consultations with ,indian ,tribes under subparagraph 7,a77iii77,i71 the ,administrator1 in addition to existing applicable law and guidance1 shall-- 7i7 as appropriate1 invite potentially responsible parties1 including ,federal agencies1 to participate in government-to-government consultations with ,indian ,tribes2 7ii7 as appropriate1 consult with ,alaska ,native ,corporations in accordance with section #afa of division ,h of the ,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1 #bjjd 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecja note2 ,public ,law #ajh-aii72 and 7iii7 as appropriate1 ensure consultations with ,tribal allottees occur pursuant to section #b of the ,act of ,february #e1 #aidh 7#fb ,stat4 #ah1 chapter #de2 #be ,u4,s4,c4 #cbd74 7#c7 ,interagency plans for uranium contamination on the ,navajo ,nation2 reports 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than ,september #cj1 #bjbh1 and not less frequently than once every #aj years thereafter1 the ,administrator1 in cooperation with other relevant ,federal agencies1 including1 at a minimum1 the ,department of ,energy1 the ,nuclear ,energy ,regulatory ,commission1 the ,department of the ,interior1 the ,indian ,health ,service1 and the ,agency for ,toxic ,substances and ,disease ,registry1 and in consultation with affected ,tribal governments1 shall develop a #aj-year interagency plan for the coordination of the ,federal ,government with ,states and ,tribal governments to carry out cleanup actions at ,navajo ,nation abandoned uranium mine sites1 including-- 7i7 goals for the assessment of1 and cleanup actions at1 ,navajo ,nation abandoned uranium mine sites2 7ii7 target dates by which goals described in clause 7i7 are anticipated to be achieved1 subject to appropriations and funding from potentially responsible parties2 7iii7 the projected appropriations necessary to achieve goals described in clause 7i7 by the target dates described in clause 7ii72 and 7iv7 the activities to be carried out by each ,federal agency under the plan4 7,b7 ,reports ,not later than #ij days after the date on which a plan is developed under subparagraph 7,a71 the ,administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report describing the applicable plan4 7#d7 ,administrative and technical assistance ,the ,administrator shall1 pursuant to existing authorities of the ,administrator1 provide to ,states1 units of local government1 ,indian ,tribes1 and other entities technical assistance with respect to cleanup actions on covered mine sites4 7e7 ,savings provisions ,nothing in this section-- 7#a7 provides the ,administrator with new regulatory authority not already established in law2 or 7#b7 shall be interpreted as establishing a default standard or authority to be used for cleanup actions at covered mine sites1 including the definition of cleanup action in subsection 7a74