SB 25-054: Mining Reclamation & Interstate Compact - Colorado

PA1 (02/13/2025) → PA2 (04/11/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to remove language about updating forfeiture and warranty procedures, and to add a provision making an appropriation. Additionally, a requirement for evidence of the operator's legal right to enter land and initiate reclamation was removed from the bill's summary.

Scope change

The bill's scope was slightly narrowed by removing a specific requirement for operators to provide evidence of their legal right to enter land and begin reclamation operations.

FISCAL

Added language to make an appropriation, indicating new funding will be allocated for the bill's purposes.

REQUIREMENT

Removed a requirement for operators to provide evidence of their legal right to enter and initiate reclamation operations on affected land.

SCOPE

Modified the bill's title section by removing language about updating forfeiture and warranty procedures, and adding language about ratifying Colorado's membership in the Interstate Mining Commission and making an appropriation.

Revised (04/25/2025) → PA1 (02/13/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to remove references to second and third readings, update the title to reflect committee amendments, and significantly expand the definition of 'mining operation' to include removal of waste piles and refuse. A new subsection was added to create an expedited permit process for reclamation-only operations on legacy mines under five acres, submitted after September 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill now includes waste pile removal and refuse disposal as mining operations, and adds a new expedited permit pathway for small-scale reclamation projects on legacy mines.

DEFINITION

Expanded 'mining operation' definition to include removal of waste piles and refuse, broadening what activities are regulated under the bill.

ELIGIBILITY

Created a new expedited permit process for reclamation-only operations on legacy mines affecting less than five acres, applicable to applications submitted after September 1, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Removed references to second and third reading dates and updated sponsorship information to reflect committee amendments.

Rerevised (04/28/2025) → Revised (04/25/2025) · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text was updated from 'Rerevised' to 'Revised' status, indicating it has been amended on second reading in the Second House. A significant substantive change was added to Section 3, which now explicitly states that the bill applies only to mining operations where no bond or financial assurance exists for land reclamation. This clarifies the bill's applicability to unsecured mining operations.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to specifically apply only to mining operations that lack existing financial assurance or bonds for land reclamation.

SCOPE

Added language specifying that the bill applies only to mining operations where no bond or other financial assurance for land reclamation exists.

TECHNICAL

Changed document status from 'Rerevised' to 'Revised' and updated the amendment adoption language to reflect second reading in the Second House.

Removed the '3rd Reading Unamended' stamp and removed several House sponsors from the sponsorship list.

Final Act (05/12/2025) → Rerevised (04/28/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reorganized and reformatted from a final act version to a revised legislative draft, with substantive text largely preserved but restructured for the second house reading. The core policy content regarding mining regulation, permit types, and financial warranty procedures remains consistent, though some formatting and section numbering were adjusted during the revision process.

Scope change

The bill's substantive scope remains unchanged, focusing on regulating mining activities, creating a new permit type for abandoned mine waste pile cleanup, updating forfeiture procedures, and ratifying Colorado's membership in the Interstate Mining Compact.

TECHNICAL

The document was restructured from a final act format to a revised legislative draft format, including changes in header information and page numbering.

New header information was added indicating the bill is in its re-revised version with all amendments adopted in the second house.

Final act signatures and certification language was removed as this is now a draft version for further legislative consideration.

Section numbering and text formatting was adjusted to align with standard legislative drafting conventions for the second house reading.

Signed Act (05/16/2025) → Final Act (05/12/2025) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill text shows formatting and spacing adjustments rather than substantive policy changes. The core provisions regarding mining regulation, permit types, forfeiture procedures, and the Interstate Mining Compact remain unchanged.

TECHNICAL

Formatting adjustments to spacing and indentation throughout the document, including changes to section headers and list items.

Added a note indicating the bill is prepared for signatures and directing readers to check legislative status sheets for Governor action.

Removed draft markings and explanatory notes about how to interpret the bill text (capital letters, bold numbers, dashes).

Corrected a spelling error in the sponsor list, changing 'IIamrick' to 'Hamrick'.

Reengrossed (04/14/2025) → Signed Act (05/16/2025) · 8 edits · May 16, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was reengrossed with amendments that clarify definitions, update permit requirements for legacy mine reclamation, and establish a special funding account for forfeited financial warranties. The changes aim to streamline cleanup of abandoned mines while strengthening oversight and ensuring funds are properly allocated for reclamation purposes.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on mining regulation and mine reclamation, but the amendments refine eligibility criteria for reclamation-only permits and expand the definition of mining operations to include waste pile removal.

DEFINITION

Added new definition of 'Legacy Mine' to clarify it refers to mines with pre-law operations or abandoned sites lacking financial assurance for reclamation.

Expanded definition of 'Mining operation' to include removal of waste piles and refuse, while excluding petroleum extraction, coal development, geothermal resources, and certain off-site operations.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated permit requirements to specify that reclamation-only permits apply to operations on less than five acres after September 1, 2025, with expedited processing available.

FISCAL

Established a special account to receive 100% of forfeited financial warranties for reclaiming lands that were obligated under permits where warranties were forfeited.

REQUIREMENT

Added detailed application requirements including evidence of legal right to enter land, financial warranty compliance, owner information, and reclamation measures.

Specified that reclamation-only permits cannot exceed three years from excavation initiation to completion of all reclamation work.

Clarified that reclamation-only permits cannot be converted into other permit types and do not relieve permittees of water quality or radiation control requirements.

Added exemption for response actions subject to or required by CERCLA (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act).

Engrossed (04/11/2025) → Reengrossed (04/14/2025) · 4 edits · Apr 14, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was reengrossed to add new co-sponsors and update the title formatting. Substantively, the definition of 'Mining operation' was modified to remove specific language about waste pile removal, and a new section regarding expedited reclamation-only permits for legacy mines was deleted.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by removing the definition of mining operations to include waste pile removal and deleting a new section that would have created an expedited permitting process for reclamation-only operations at legacy mines.

ELIGIBILITY

Added five new co-sponsors to the Senate sponsorship list (Amabile, Ball, Catlin, Cutter, Exum, Jodeh, Kipp, Snyder, Wallace, Winter F.).

DEFINITION

Removed language defining 'Mining operation' to include the removal of waste piles and refuse from affected land.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted a new section (34-32-110(9)) that would have established an expedited process and reclamation-only permits for legacy mines with applications submitted after September 1, 2025.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill title formatting to reflect 'REENGROSSED' status and adjusted the layout of the Interstate Mining Compact reference.

Introduced (01/16/2025) → Engrossed (04/11/2025) · 7 edits · Apr 14, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was amended to add an appropriations clause and clarify that 100% of forfeited financial warranty proceeds must go to a special account for reclamation. The legislative declaration was reorganized to remove specific statistics about impaired streams and legacy sites, while adding language about recovering valuable metals and rare earths. The definition of 'legacy mine' was updated, and the definition of 'mining operation' was expanded to include waste pile removal and refuse processing while explicitly excluding petroleum, coal, geothermal, and construction material extraction.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include waste pile removal and refuse processing as mining operations, while clarifying that petroleum, coal, geothermal, and construction material extraction are excluded from the legacy mine permit system.

FISCAL

Added a new appropriations clause requiring 100% of forfeited financial warranty proceeds to be deposited in a special account for reclaiming lands that were obligated under permits where warranties were forfeited.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'legacy mine' to specify that no bond or financial assurance exists for reclamation of the affected land.

Expanded the definition of 'mining operation' to include removal of waste piles and refuse, transportation, concentrating, milling, evaporation, and other processing on affected lands.

Explicitly excluded petroleum extraction, coal development, geothermal extraction, and construction material extraction from the definition of mining operations under this bill.

ELIGIBILITY

Removed specific statistics about 1,800 miles of impaired streams and 5,000 legacy sites from the legislative declaration.

Added language emphasizing the opportunity to recover valuable metals, rare earths, and strategic minerals through reclamation activities.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the legislative declaration to clarify that financial warranties must reflect actual current reclamation costs and that the new permit type is intended to facilitate removal of waste piles while ensuring lands are returned to beneficial use.

Mining Reclamation & Interstate Compact

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