Congress passes bipartisan law to clean up abandoned toxic mines
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act on December 12, ending two decades of debate. The legislation, championed by Senators Martin Heinrich and Jim Risch, allows conservation groups and state agencies to clean up tens of thousands of abandoned mines polluting American waterways. "Over 40 percent of small mountain streams in the West are polluted by heavy metals from abandoned mines," said Chris Wood, President and CEO of Trout Unlimited. President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law.
Communities near abandoned mines will have cleaner water and healthier ecosystems after decades of toxic pollution.
Source: A Watershed Moment: Congress Passes Legislation To Address Toxic Legacy Of Abandoned Mines - Trout Unlimited (tu.org).
Written by the HappyGood desk from the primary source linked above and checked against it. Every story links its source. Corrections: [email protected].
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