S 544 119th Congress
Mining Regulatory Clarity Act
A bill to provide for the location of multiple hardrock mining mill sites, to establish the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund, and for other purposes.
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Bill journey
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Introduction Congress.gov
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate.
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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Introduced in Senate
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Introduced in Senate
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Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-46.
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Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
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Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 334.
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Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. With written report No. 119-105.
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Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. With written report No. 119-105.
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Reported to Senate
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View the complete bill journey as an accessible table
| Date and time | Record | Official detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| IntroductionIntroduced | Introduced in the Senate. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. | No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionIntroduced in Senate | No additional detail supplied.IntroReferral · Library of Congress · Code 10000 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionIntroduced in Senate | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 119-46. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionPlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 334. | No additional detail supplied.Calendars · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. With written report No. 119-105. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Senate | Congress.gov | |
| Official actionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Lee without amendment. With written report No. 119-105. | No additional detail supplied.Committee · Library of Congress · Code 14000 | Congress.gov | |
| Text versionReported to Senate | A dated text-version record is available. | Congress.gov |
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Congressional Research Service
CRS summary
Mining Regulatory Clarity ActThis bill allows mining operators to use federal lands for activities ancillary to mining, such as waste disposal, regardless of whether those lands contain mineral deposits valuable enough to be mined (mineral validity). It also establishes the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund.The bill addresses a 2022 decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit related to the Rosemont Copper Mine in Arizona (commonly known as the Rosemont decision, described further in CRS Report R48166). The court held that mining claims are only allowed where mineral validity has been established and that mill site claims are more appropriate means for establishing a mining waste disposal site under the Mining Act.The bill allows a mining operator to (1) locate and include within its plan of operations as many mill site claims (e.g., areas for waste rock disposal) as are reasonably necessary for its operations, and (2) use or occupy public land in accordance with an approved plan of operations.Additionally, the bill requires any revenue generated from fees for such mill site claims to be deposited into the Abandoned Hardrock Mine Fund. The Department of the Interior must use the fund for certain abandoned hardrock mine reclamation activities.
Official documents
Text versions
- Reported to SenateFeb 11, 2026
- Introduced in SenateFeb 12, 2025