Today, Representatives Jody Hice (R-GA) and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) introduced H.R. 1668, the “Bureau of Land Management Foundation Act.” H.R. 1668 establishes a new foundation that will leverage private funding to assist federal land management agencies with abandoned mine lands cleanup as well as other mission areas.  

“When millions of gallons of toxic waste gushed into the Animas River from the Gold King Mine in 2015, the urgency to address the problem of pollution from abandoned mines became abundantly clear. By replacing substandard federal regulations with private sector policies and procedures, the Bureau of Land Management Foundation will increase the pace and scale of cleaning up contaminated water at abandoned mine sites across the nation. I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner with Rep. Lowenthal and my Resources Committee colleagues to implement comprehensive spill prevention methods,” Rep. Hice said.

“The establishment of a Bureau of Land Management Foundation is long overdue. It would provide the BLM with an important partner, and allow private individuals and corporations to support the BLM’s diverse mission, which includes activities such as managing wild horses, protecting cultural resources and cleaning up abandoned hardrock mines. I am proud to work cooperatively with Rep. Hice and the Natural Resources Committee to get this bill passed,” Rep. Lowenthal said.

Background

Last Congress, the House passed H.R. 3884 (Rep. Hice), the “Bureau of Land Management Foundation Act,” by a bipartisan voice vote on July 5, 2016.