House Engrossed hardrock mines; remediation; urging support State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025 HOUSE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 2007 A Concurrent Memorial urging the Arizona State mine inspector and the director of environmental quality to work with agencies and the private sector to complete the remediation of abandoned hardrock mines under a federal pilot program. (TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
House Engrossed hardrock mines; remediation; urging support
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session 2025
HOUSE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 2007
House Engrossed
hardrock mines; remediation; urging support
State of Arizona
House of Representatives
Fifty-seventh Legislature
First Regular Session
2025
HOUSE CONCURRENT MEMORIAL 2007
A Concurrent Memorial
urging the Arizona State mine inspector and the director of environmental quality to work with agencies and the private sector to complete the remediation of abandoned hardrock mines under a federal pilot program.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
To the State Mine Inspector and the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality: Your memorialist respectfully represents: Whereas, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 was signed into law on December 17, 2024. This bipartisan legislation seeks to address the public safety and environmental threats associated with abandoned hardrock mining sites in the United States, particularly in the American West; and Whereas, under this legislation, Good Samaritans, including state agencies, local governments, nonprofits and other groups, are empowered to remediate the pollution from these abandoned mine sites without facing legal and financial liability; and Whereas, Arizona has a rich history in hardrock mining dating back to the territorial days. In the 1870s, Arizona's hardrock mines produced large quantities of copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold ore; and Whereas, the mining industry contributed to the early growth of the Arizona territory and continued economic success of the nation. However, many existing public safety and environmental measures were not in place until the United States Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970, nearly 100 years later, and many sites were closed or abandoned without adequate remediation or environmental cleanup; and Whereas, although the full number of abandoned hardrock mining sites is unknown, estimates put the number in the hundreds of thousands nationally and more than an estimated 100,000 in Arizona alone. These mines pose serious threats to the environment and public health, including in various Arizona communities and tribal nations. Unsecured tunnels in abandoned mines endanger residents of nearby communities and the toxic waste and contaminated water from old mines threaten the health of neighboring rivers and ecosystems; and Whereas, under the Good Samaritan Act, the United States Environmental Protection Agency will establish a pilot permitting program to allow qualified parties to undertake remediation and mitigation efforts at abandoned mine sites without incurring legal liability. Their efforts to remediate and treat historical mine residue and contaminants would improve soil and water quality, protect public health and restore natural habitats; and Whereas, the eligibility criteria of the Act include the project being designed to result in partial or complete remediation of historic mine residue at a site in the United States within the terms and timeline of the permit and posing a low risk to the environment. Additionally, the Good Samaritan, who cannot be a past owner or operator of the site or have any related liability, must have the ability to secure the requisite resources and the experience and capacity to complete the remediation and must make efforts to identify all responsible owners or operators of the site; and Whereas, currently, the cleanup of these hazardous mining sites is often delayed due to the lack of coordination between local, state and federal partners. The Good Samaritan Act will accelerate the cleanup of abandoned mines by broadening the ability of various Good Samaritans to collaborate their efforts to protect the environment and public health from the impacts of these old mines; and Whereas, the Arizona State Mine Inspector has jurisdiction over mine reclamation and abandoned mine closure in this state, and the Department of Environmental Quality has jurisdiction over soil and water contamination from legacy mining sites and the implementation of federal environmental quality regulations; and Whereas, the State Mine Inspector and the Department of Environmental Quality have a history of working well together to ensure the timely completion of remediation projects at legacy and abandoned mine sites that pose a low risk to the environment; and Whereas, although in some cases identifying responsible owners and operators of abandoned mine sites can be challenging, Arizona's public and private stakeholders are dedicated to working together to identify them; and Whereas, as the "Copper State" and home of several major mining companies, this state has actors who can secure the financial and other resources and who have the experience and capacity required to complete the remediation required by the Good Samaritan Act. Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays: 1. That the Arizona State Mine Inspector and the Department of Environmental Quality work with federal agencies and members of the private sector to find qualifying legacy mining sites in Arizona and apply for the pilot program under the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act. 2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the State Mine Inspector and the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
To the State Mine Inspector and the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality:
Your memorialist respectfully represents:
Whereas, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 was signed into law on December 17, 2024. This bipartisan legislation seeks to address the public safety and environmental threats associated with abandoned hardrock mining sites in the United States, particularly in the American West; and
Whereas, under this legislation, Good Samaritans, including state agencies, local governments, nonprofits and other groups, are empowered to remediate the pollution from these abandoned mine sites without facing legal and financial liability; and
Whereas, Arizona has a rich history in hardrock mining dating back to the territorial days. In the 1870s, Arizona's hardrock mines produced large quantities of copper, lead, zinc, silver and gold ore; and
Whereas, the mining industry contributed to the early growth of the Arizona territory and continued economic success of the nation. However, many existing public safety and environmental measures were not in place until the United States Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970, nearly 100 years later, and many sites were closed or abandoned without adequate remediation or environmental cleanup; and
Whereas, although the full number of abandoned hardrock mining sites is unknown, estimates put the number in the hundreds of thousands nationally and more than an estimated 100,000 in Arizona alone. These mines pose serious threats to the environment and public health, including in various Arizona communities and tribal nations. Unsecured tunnels in abandoned mines endanger residents of nearby communities and the toxic waste and contaminated water from old mines threaten the health of neighboring rivers and ecosystems; and
Whereas, under the Good Samaritan Act, the United States Environmental Protection Agency will establish a pilot permitting program to allow qualified parties to undertake remediation and mitigation efforts at abandoned mine sites without incurring legal liability. Their efforts to remediate and treat historical mine residue and contaminants would improve soil and water quality, protect public health and restore natural habitats; and
Whereas, the eligibility criteria of the Act include the project being designed to result in partial or complete remediation of historic mine residue at a site in the United States within the terms and timeline of the permit and posing a low risk to the environment. Additionally, the Good Samaritan, who cannot be a past owner or operator of the site or have any related liability, must have the ability to secure the requisite resources and the experience and capacity to complete the remediation and must make efforts to identify all responsible owners or operators of the site; and
Whereas, currently, the cleanup of these hazardous mining sites is often delayed due to the lack of coordination between local, state and federal partners. The Good Samaritan Act will accelerate the cleanup of abandoned mines by broadening the ability of various Good Samaritans to collaborate their efforts to protect the environment and public health from the impacts of these old mines; and
Whereas, the Arizona State Mine Inspector has jurisdiction over mine reclamation and abandoned mine closure in this state, and the Department of Environmental Quality has jurisdiction over soil and water contamination from legacy mining sites and the implementation of federal environmental quality regulations; and
Whereas, the State Mine Inspector and the Department of Environmental Quality have a history of working well together to ensure the timely completion of remediation projects at legacy and abandoned mine sites that pose a low risk to the environment; and
Whereas, although in some cases identifying responsible owners and operators of abandoned mine sites can be challenging, Arizona's public and private stakeholders are dedicated to working together to identify them; and
Whereas, as the "Copper State" and home of several major mining companies, this state has actors who can secure the financial and other resources and who have the experience and capacity required to complete the remediation required by the Good Samaritan Act.
Wherefore your memorialist, the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring, prays:
1. That the Arizona State Mine Inspector and the Department of Environmental Quality work with federal agencies and members of the private sector to find qualifying legacy mining sites in Arizona and apply for the pilot program under the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act.
2. That the Secretary of State of the State of Arizona transmit copies of this Memorial to the State Mine Inspector and the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality and each Member of Congress from the State of Arizona.
PASSED BY THE HOUSE FEBRUARY 20, 2025. PASSED BY THE SENATE MARCH 27, 2025. FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 28, 2025.
PASSED BY THE HOUSE FEBRUARY 20, 2025.
PASSED BY THE SENATE MARCH 27, 2025.
FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE MARCH 28, 2025.