Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6233, the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act. Two centuries of coal mining occurred in the United States before the industry was federally regulated in any meaningful way, including in New Mexico where we have many abandoned wells which litter the countryside. Before 1977, when the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act was passed, coal mining was done with little regard for the environment and absolutely minimal reclamation requirements. This history has left us with a massive number of abandoned coal mines across the country that create environmental and public health hazards. Fortunately, last Congress, Democrats championed and passed over $11 billion to clean up abandoned coal mines. These funds are already being deployed to clean up hazardous sites and to create good jobs. Even with this massive investment, however, there is much work ahead of us before we solve the abandoned coal mine problem for good though. That is where the Community Reclamation Partnerships Act fits in. This bill would provide third-party groups, like environmental or wildlife organizations, with the ability to use their own funds to clean up streams and watersheds affected by abandoned coal mines, without assuming unnecessary liability. I am very thankful for these organizations.…”