The House approved legislation on Nov. 1 that would require hardrock miners to pay royalties on income generated from the minerals they collect. Part of that money would go toward a special fund to finance the estimated $30 billion to $70 billion needed to clean up abandoned hardrock mines.
The House passed the Hardrock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007 by a 266-144 vote. The top two lawmakers on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, say they hope to work on a Senate bill soon.