Bond Improvement and Reclamation Assurance Act of 2026

Ensuring Sufficient Funds for Land Cleanup: The bill requires that bond amounts be sufficient to ensure the completion of the reclamation plan even if the regulatory authority has to do the work itself due to bond forfeiture (Section 2(a)(4)(D)).

Accounting for Economic Changes: The regulatory authority must consider the impact of inflation over the time period of reclamation when setting bond amounts (Section 2(a)(5)(A)).

Protecting Against Unplanned Closures: The bill requires bond settings to consider the impact of an unplanned or early mine closure on reclamation costs (Section 2(a)(5)(B)).

Adjusting for Changing Circumstances: Bonds can be adjusted if the cost of future reclamation changes due to factors like long-term water pollution discharge or changes in the reclamation plan (Section 2(a)(1)(B)).

Holding Multiple Parties Accountable: The law states that a permittee and each "covered person" shall be jointly and severally liable for all reclamation costs, including postmining water pollution (Section 2(b)(2)).

Improved Transparency: Inspection reports and information regarding changes that may necessitate a bond change must be made available to the public electronically (Section 2(c)(1) and (2)).

Increased Financial Burdens for Operators: The bill establishes a minimum bond amount of $52,593, which is adjusted annually for inflation (Section 2(a)(6)).

Increased Costs Due to Risk Factors: Regulatory authorities must consider the difficulty of reclamation based on topography, geology, hydrology, and revegetation potential when determining bond amounts (Section 2(a)(4)(C)).

Mandatory Recalculations During Transfers: Before approving a transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights, the regulatory authority must recalculate the required bond amount and require the new party to post it (Section 2(b)(1)).