Thousands of old mines litter Nevada. A bill to clean them up is heading to Biden

The ghosts of the Silver State’s mining roots aren’t just spooky — they’re a serious environmental hazard.

About half a million abandoned mines lie untouched across America, polluting waterways and posing a threat to human safety. Nevada has the most of any state with about 200,000, according to the state Division of Minerals.

Now, after a House vote on Tuesday, a bill that has been decades in the making could cut through red tape and allow groups to clean them up without being legally responsible for pre-existing pollution at these sites. Having passed the Senate earlier this year, the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024 will head to the desk of President Joe Biden for final approval.

The Biden administration has shared with Congress its support for the bill in the past, according to a news release.

“The time for talking is over,” bill co-sponsor and Congresswoman Susie Lee, D-Nev., said in a hearing on Tuesday. “It is now time for the House to act before Congress adjourns. We have a historic opportunity to put our nation on an accelerated path to cleaner waters and safer landscapes.”

The bill would create a pilot program under the Environmental Protection Agency, where so-called Good Samaritan organizations could clean up to 15 low-risk abandoned hardrock mines. It has appeal across the aisle, garnering praise from Democrats and Republicans alike, including Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo.

“This legislation will ensure significant progress in our efforts to clean up abandoned mines in Nevada and across the United States,” the Republican governor said in a statement. “I was proud to voice my support for this bill, and I’m deeply grateful to our entire federal delegation who worked tirelessly on this bipartisan initiative that will benefit our state and country.”

Environmental challenge runs deep in Nevada

Mine reclamation, or the process of closing down a mine so it doesn’t cause further environmental harm, wasn’t enforced in Nevada until the 1980s with the creation of the state’s Abandoned Mine Lands program.

The Potosi lead mine 30 miles southwest of Las Vegas’ once-bountiful springs was the first to be abandoned in Nevada in 1857, according to the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office.

Nevada’s old mines range from shallow holes to large-scale operations with shafts that can be hundreds of feet deep. They’ve long been the subject of exploration for more curious desert-goers — something that has resulted in deaths.

Since 1961, 19 people have died in these mine sites and 24 people have been injured, state records show.

“Despite having no legal or financial responsibility to do so, state agencies, non-profits, and advocates are eager to contribute to abandoned hardrock mine cleanup efforts,” Congresswoman Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, said in a statement. “But, right now, over-burdensome permitting requirements bar them from doing so. Too often, government red tape prevents good work from getting done.”