Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement regulation and technology For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95–87, $116,186,000, to remain available until September 30, 2025, of which $62,400,000 shall be available for State and tribal regulatory grants, and of which not to exceed $5,000 may be for official reception and representation expenses: Provided, That appropriations for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement may provide for the travel and per diem expenses of State and tribal personnel attending Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement sponsored training. In addition, for costs to review, administer, and enforce permits issued by the Office pursuant to section 507 of Public Law 95–87 (30 U.S.C. 1257), $40,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That fees assessed and collected by the Office pursuant 138 STAT. 230 to such section 507 shall be credited to this account as discretionary offsetting collections, to remain available until expended: Provided further, That the sum herein appropriated from the general fund shall be reduced as collections are received during the fiscal year, so as to result in a fiscal year 2024 appropriation estimated at not more than $116,186,000. abandoned mine reclamation fund For necessary expenses to carry out title IV of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95–87, $32,546,000, to be derived from receipts of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund and to remain available until expended: Provided, That pursuant to Public Law 97–365, the Department of the Interior is authorized to use up to 20 percent from the recovery of the delinquent debt owed to the United States Government to pay for contracts to collect these debts: Provided further, That funds made available under title IV of Public Law 95–87 may be used for any required non-Federal share of the cost of projects funded by the Federal Government for the purpose of environmental restoration related to treatment or abatement of acid mine drainage from abandoned mines: Provided further, That such projects must be consistent with the purposes and priorities of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act: Provided further, That amounts provided under this heading may be used for the travel and per diem expenses of State and tribal personnel attending Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement sponsored training: Provided further, That of the amounts provided under this heading, not to exceed $5,000 shall be available for official reception and representation expenses. In addition, $130,000,000, to remain available until expended, for payments to States and federally recognized Indian tribes for reclamation of abandoned mine lands and other related activities in accordance with the terms and conditions described in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act): Provided, That such additional amount shall be used for economic and community development in conjunction with the priorities described in section 403(a) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1233(a)): Provided further, That of such additional amount, $86,000,000 shall be distributed in equal amounts to the three Appalachian States with the greatest amount of unfunded needs to meet the priorities described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of such section, $33,000,000 shall be distributed in equal amounts to the three Appalachian States with the subsequent greatest amount of unfunded needs to meet such priorities, and $11,000,000 shall be for grants to federally recognized Indian tribes, without regard to their status as certified or uncertified under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1233(a)), for reclamation of abandoned mine lands and other related activities in accordance with the terms and conditions described in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act) and shall be used for economic and community development in conjunction with the priorities in section 403(a) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977: Provided further, That such payments shall be made to States and federally recognized Indian tribes not later 138 STAT. 231 than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act: Provided further, That if payments have not been made by the date specified in the preceding proviso, the amount appropriated for salaries and expenses under the heading “Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement” shall be reduced by $100,000 per day until such payments have been made.