§1232. Reclamation fee

(a) Payment; rate

All operators of coal mining operations subject to the provisions of this chapter shall pay to the Secretary of the Interior, for deposit in the fund, a reclamation fee of 35 cents per ton of coal produced by surface coal mining and 15 cents per ton of coal produced by underground mining or 10 per centum of the value of the coal at the mine, as determined by the Secretary, whichever is less, except that the reclamation fee for lignite coal shall be at a rate of 2 per centum of the value of the coal at the mine, or 10 cents per ton, whichever is less.

(b) Due date

Such fee shall be paid no later than thirty days after the end of each calendar quarter beginning with the first calendar quarter occurring after August 3, 1977, and ending September 30, 2004, after which time the fee shall be established at a rate to continue to provide for the deposit referred to in subsection (h) of this section.

(c) Submission of statement

Together with such reclamation fee, all operators of coal mine operations shall submit a statement of the amount of coal produced during the calendar quarter, the method of coal removal and the type of coal, the accuracy of which shall be sworn to by the operator and notarized. Such statement shall include an identification of the permittee of the surface coal mining operation, any operator in addition to the permittee, the owner of the coal, the preparation plant, tripple,¹ or loading point for the coal, and the person purchasing the coal from the operator. The report shall also specify the number of the permit required under section 1256 of this title and the mine safety and health identification number. Each quarterly report shall contain a notification of any changes in the information required by this subsection since the date of the preceding quarterly report. The information contained in the quarterly reports under this subsection shall be maintained by the Secretary in a computerized database.

(d) Penalty

(1) Any person, corporate officer, agent or director, on behalf of a coal mine operator, who knowingly makes any false statement, representation or certification, or knowingly fails to make any statement, representation or certification required in this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or by imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

(2) The Secretary shall conduct such audits of coal production and the payment of fees under this subchapter as may be necessary to ensure full compliance with the provisions of this subchapter. For purposes of performing such audits the Secretary (or any duly designated officer, employee, or representative of the Secretary) shall, at all reasonable times, upon request, have access to, and may copy, all books, papers, and other documents of any person subject to the provisions of this subchapter. The Secretary may at any time conduct audits of any surface coal mining and reclamation operation, including without limitation, tipples and preparation plants, as may be necessary in the judgment of the Secretary to ensure full and complete payment of the fees under this subchapter.

(e) Civil action to recover fee

Any portion of the reclamation fee not properly or promptly paid pursuant to this section shall be recoverable, with statutory interest, from coal mine operators, in any court of competent jurisdiction in any action at law to compel payment of debts.

(f) Cooperation from other agencies

All Federal and State agencies shall fully cooperate with the Secretary of the Interior in the enforcement of this section. Whenever the Secretary believes that any person has not paid the full amount of the fee payable under subsection (a) of this section the Secretary shall notify the Federal agency responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of section 4121 of title 26.

(g) Allocation of funds

(1) Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, moneys deposited into the fund shall be allocated by the Secretary to accomplish the purposes of this subchapter as follows:

(A) 50 percent of the reclamation fees collected annually in any State (other than fees collected with respect to Indian lands) shall be allocated annually by the Secretary to the State, subject to such State having each of the following:

(i) An approved abandoned mine reclamation program pursuant to section 1235 of this title.

(ii) Lands and waters which are eligible pursuant to section 1234 of this title (in the case of a State not certified under section 1240a(a) of this title) or pursuant to section 1240a(b) of this title (in the case of a State certified under section 1240a(a) of this title).

(B) 50 percent of the reclamation fees collected annually with respect to Indian lands shall be allocated annually by the Secretary to the Indian tribe having jurisdiction over such lands, subject to such tribe having each of the following:

(i) an ² approved abandoned mine reclamation program pursuant to section 1235 of this title.

(ii) Lands and waters which are eligible pursuant to section 1234 of this title (in the case of an Indian tribe not certified under section 1240a(a) of this title) or pursuant to section 1240a(b) of this title (in the case of a tribe certified under section 1240a(a) of this title).

(C) The funds allocated by the Secretary under this paragraph to States and Indian tribes shall only be used for annual reclamation project construction and program administration grants.

(D) To the extent not expended within 3 years after the date of any grant award under this paragraph, such grant shall be available for expenditure by the Secretary in any area under paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5).

(2) 20 percent of the amounts available in the fund in any fiscal year which are not allocated under paragraph (1) in that fiscal year (including that interest accruing as provided in section 1231(e) of this title and including funds available for reallocation pursuant to paragraph (1)(D)), shall be allocated to the Secretary only for the purpose of making the annual transfer to the Secretary of Agriculture under section 1231(c)(2) of this title.

(3) Amounts available in the fund which are not allocated to States and Indian tribes under paragraph (1) or allocated under paragraphs (2) and (5) are authorized to be expended by the Secretary for any of the following:

(A) For the purpose of section 1257(c) of this title, either directly or through grants to the States, subject to the limitation contained in section 1231(c)(11) of this title.

(B) For the purpose of section 1240 of this title (relating to emergencies).

(C) For the purpose of meeting the objectives of the fund set forth in section 1233(a) of this title for eligible lands and waters pursuant to section 1234 of this title in States and on Indian lands where the State or Indian tribe does not have an approved abandoned mine reclamation program pursuant to section 1235 of this title.

(D) For the administration of this subchapter by the Secretary.

(4)(A) Amounts available in the fund which are not allocated under paragraphs (1), (2), and (5) or expended under paragraph (3) in any fiscal year are authorized to be expended by the Secretary under this paragraph for the reclamation or drainage abatement of lands and waters within unreclaimed sites which are mined for coal or which were affected by such mining, wastebanks, coal processing or other coal mining processes and left in an inadequate reclamation status.

(B) Funds made available under this paragraph may be used for reclamation or drainage abatement at a site referred to in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary makes either of the following findings:

(i) A finding that the surface coal mining operation occurred during the period beginning on August 4, 1977, and ending on or before the date on which the Secretary approved a State program pursuant to section 1253 of this title for a State in which the site is located, and that any funds for reclamation or abatement which are available pursuant to a bond or other form of financial guarantee or from any other source are not sufficient to provide for adequate reclamation or abatement at the site.

(ii) A finding that the surface coal mining operation occurred during the period beginning on August 4, 1977, and ending on or before November 5, 1990, and that the surety of such mining operator became insolvent during such period, and as of November 5, 1990, funds immediately available from proceedings relating to such insolvency, or from any financial guarantee or other source are not sufficient to provide for adequate reclamation or abatement at the site.

(C) In determining which sites to reclaim pursuant to this paragraph, the Secretary shall follow the priorities stated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1233(a) of this title. The Secretary shall ensure that priority is given to those sites which are in the immediate vicinity of a residential area or which have an adverse economic impact upon a local community.

(D) Amounts collected from the assessment of civil penalties under section 1268 of this title are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this paragraph.

(E) Any State may expend grants made available under paragraphs (1) and (5) for reclamation and abatement of any site referred to in subparagraph (A) if the State, with the concurrence of the Secretary, makes either of the findings referred to in clause (i) or (ii) of subparagraph (B) and if the State determines that the reclamation priority of the site is the same or more urgent than the reclamation priority for eligible lands and waters pursuant to section 1234 of this title under the priorities stated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1233(a) of this title.

(F) For the purposes of the certification referred to in section 1240a(a) of this title, sites referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be considered as having the same priorities as those stated in section 1233(a) of this title for eligible lands and waters pursuant to section 1234 of this title. All sites referred to in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph within any State shall be reclaimed prior to such State making the certification referred to in section 1240a(a) of this title.

(5) The Secretary shall allocate 40 percent of the amount in the fund after making the allocation referred to in paragraph (1) for making additional annual grants to States and Indian tribes which are not certified under section 1240a(a) of this title to supplement grants received by such States and Indian tribes pursuant to paragraph (1)(C) until the priorities stated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1233(a) of this title have been achieved by such State or Indian tribe. The allocation of such funds for the purpose of making such expenditures shall be through a formula based on the amount of coal historically produced in the State or from the Indian lands concerned prior to August 3, 1977. Funds allocated or expended by the Secretary under paragraphs (2), (3), or (4) of this subsection for any State or Indian tribe shall not be deducted against any allocation of funds to the State or Indian tribe under paragraph (1) or under this paragraph.

(6) Any State may receive and retain, without regard to the 3-year limitation referred to in paragraph (1)(D), up to 10 percent of the total of the grants made annually to such State under paragraphs (1) and (5) if such amounts are deposited into either-

(A) a special trust fund established under State law pursuant to which such amounts (together with all interest earned on such amounts) are expended by the State solely to achieve the priorities stated in section 1233(a) of this title after September 30, 1995, or

(B) an acid mine drainage abatement and treatment fund established under State law as provided in paragraph (7).

(7)(A) Any State may establish under State law an acid mine drainage abatement and treatment fund from which amounts (together with all interest earned on such amounts) are expended by the State to implement, in consultation with the Soil Conservation Service, acid mine drainage abatement and treatment plans approved by the Secretary. Such plans shall provide for the comprehensive abatement of the causes and treatment of the effects of acid mine drainage within qualified hydrologic units affected by coal mining practices.

(B) The plan shall include, but shall not be limited to, each of the following:

(i) An identification of the qualified hydrologic unit.

(ii) The extent to which acid mine drainage is affecting the water quality and biological resources within the hydrologic unit.

(iii) An identification of the sources of acid mine drainage within the hydrologic unit.

(iv) An identification of individual projects and the measures proposed to be undertaken to abate and treat the causes or effects of acid mine drainage within the hydrologic unit.

(v) The cost of undertaking the proposed abatement and treatment measures.

(vi) An identification of existing and proposed sources of funding for such measures.

(vii) An analysis of the cost-effectiveness and environmental benefits of abatement and treatment measures.

(C) The Secretary may approve any plan under this paragraph only after determining that such plan meets the requirements of this paragraph. In conducting an analysis of the items referred to in clauses (iv), (v), and (vii) the Director of the Office of Surface Mining shall obtain the comments of the Director of the United States Bureau of Mines. In approving plans under this paragraph, the Secretary shall give a priority to those plans which will be implemented in coordination with measures undertaken by the Secretary of Agriculture under section 1236 of this title.

(D) For purposes of this paragraph, the term "qualified hydrologic unit" means a hydrologic unit-

(i) in which the water quality has been significantly affected by acid mine drainage from coal mining practices in a manner which adversely impacts biological resources; and

(ii) which contains lands and waters which are-

(I) eligible pursuant to section 1234 of this title and include any of the priorities stated in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) of section 1233(a) of this title; and

(II) proposed to be the subject of the expenditures by the State (from amounts available from the forfeiture of bonds required under section 1259 of this title or from other State sources) to mitigate acid mine drainage.

(8) Of the funds available for expenditure under this subsection in any fiscal year, the Secretary shall allocate annually not less than $2,000,000 for expenditure in each State, and for each Indian tribe, having an approved abandoned mine reclamation program pursuant to section 1235 of this title and eligible lands and waters pursuant to section 1234 of this title so long as an allocation of funds to such State or such tribe is necessary to achieve the priorities stated in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 1233(a) of this title.

(h) Transfer of funds to Combined Fund

(1) In the case of any fiscal year beginning on or after October 1, 1995, with respect to which fees are required to be paid under this section, the Secretary shall, as of the beginning of such fiscal year and before any allocation under subsection (g) of this section, make the transfer provided in paragraph (2).

(2) The Secretary shall transfer from the fund to the United Mine Workers of America Combined Benefit Fund established under section 9702 of title 26 for any fiscal year an amount equal to the sum of-

(A) the amount of the interest which the Secretary estimates will be earned and paid to the Fund during the fiscal year, plus

(B) the amount by which the amount described in subparagraph (A) is less than $70,000,000.

(3)(A) The aggregate amount which may be transferred under paragraph (2) for any fiscal year shall not exceed the amount of expenditures which the trustees of the Combined Fund estimate will be debited against the unassigned beneficiaries premium account under section 9704(e) of title 26 for the fiscal year of the Combined Fund in which the transfer is made.

(B) The aggregate amount which may be transferred under paragraph (2)(B) for all fiscal years shall not exceed an amount equivalent to all interest earned and paid to the fund after September 30, 1992, and before October 1, 1995.

(4) If, for any fiscal year, the amount transferred is more or less than the amount required to be transferred, the Secretary shall appropriately adjust the amount transferred for the next fiscal year.

( Pub. L. 95–87, title IV, §402, Aug. 3, 1977, 91 Stat. 457 ; Pub. L. 100–34, title I, §101, May 7, 1987, 101 Stat. 300 ; Pub. L. 101–508, title VI, §§6003, 6004, Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–290 , 1388-291; Pub. L. 102–285, §10(b), May 18, 1992, 106 Stat. 172 ; Pub. L. 102–486, title XIX, §19143(b)(1), (2), (3)(B), title XXV, §2515, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3056 , 3113.)

Codification

November 5, 1990, referred to in subsec. (g)(4)(B)(ii), was in the original "the date of enactment of this paragraph", which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of Pub. L. 101–508, which amended this section generally, to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Amendments

1992-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 102–486, §2515, which directed that subsec. (b) be amended by substituting "2004, after which time the fee shall be established at a rate to continue to provide for the deposit referred to in subsection (h) of this section" for "1995", was executed by inserting ", after which time the fee shall be established at a rate to continue to provide for the deposit referred to in subsection (h) of this section" after "2004", to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening amendment by Pub. L. 102–486, §19143(b)(1). See below.

Pub. L. 102–486, §19143(b)(1), substituted "2004" for "1995" before period at end.

Subsec. (g)(1). Pub. L. 102–486, §19143(b)(3)(B), substituted "Except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, moneys" for "Moneys".

Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 102–486, §19143(b)(2), added subsec. (h).

1990-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–508, §6003(a), substituted "ending September 30, 1995" for "ending fifteen years after August 3, 1977, unless extended by an Act of Congress".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–508, §6003(b), inserted at end "Such statement shall include an identification of the permittee of the surface coal mining operation, any operator in addition to the permittee, the owner of the coal, the preparation plant, tripple, or loading point for the coal, and the person purchasing the coal from the operator. The report shall also specify the number of the permit required under section 1256 of this title and the mine safety and health identification number. Each quarterly report shall contain a notification of any changes in the information required by this subsection since the date of the preceding quarterly report. The information contained in the quarterly reports under this subsection shall be maintained by the Secretary in a computerized database."

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–508, §6003(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–508, §6003(d), inserted at end "Whenever the Secretary believes that any person has not paid the full amount of the fee payable under subsection (a) of this section the Secretary shall notify the Federal agency responsible for ensuring compliance with the provisions of section 4121 of title 26."

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–508, §6004, amended subsec. (g) generally, substituting present provisions for provisions relating to geographic allocation of expenditures from the fund, providing for allocation of 50 percent of funds collected annually in any State or Indian reservation to that State or Indian reservation pursuant to approved reclamation program, providing for special State set-aside for future expenditure, and authorizing expenditure of balance of funds collected at discretion of Secretary in order to meet the purposes of this subchapter.

1987-Subsec. (g)(3), (4). Pub. L. 100–34 added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).

Change of Name

"United States Bureau of Mines" substituted for "Bureau of Mines" in subsec. (g)(7)(C) pursuant to section 10(b) of Pub. L. 102–285, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 101–508 effective Oct. 1, 1991, see section 6014 of Pub. L. 101–508 set out as a note under section 1231 of this title.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 1231, 1233, 1234, 1235, 1239, 1240a, 1251a, 1291 of this title; title 26 section 9705.

¹ So in original. Probably should be "tipple,".

² So in original. Probably should be capitalized.