Animas River Good Samaritan Mined Land Remediation Pilot Project Act

H.R. 5071, the Animas River Good Samaritan Mined Land Remediation Pilot Project Act, proposes a 10-year pilot program to clean up abandoned and inactive mines in the Animas River watershed in San Juan County, Colorado. The bill would allow the Environmental Protection Agency to issue special permits to "Good Samaritans"—such as state agencies, local governments, or nonprofit organizations—who want to clean up mine-related pollution but were not responsible for creating it. By providing these groups with modified discharge requirements and legal protections, the bill aims to accelerate the removal of hazardous pollutants from local waterways, ultimately improving water quality and environmental health for the surrounding communities.