The Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act

On December 17, President Biden signed the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act into law.  In March 2024, WGA sent a letter to Senate Leadership in support of the bill, followed by a letter to House Leadership in October.  The bill’s passage is a significant milestone in a nearly 30-year effort to establish legislation that would allow Good Samaritans to remediate abandoned mines and represents a major victory for Western Governors’ policy in their Cleaning Up Abandoned Hardrock Mines resolution.

The EXPLORE Act

On December 19, the Senate passed the EXPLORE Act by unanimous consent.  The House passed the legislation in March 2024; WGA sent a letter to Senate leadership in support of the bill on September 3.  The legislation includes numerous WGA policy priorities outlined in WGA Policy Resolution 2022-12, Recreation and Tourism on Public Lands, including the ability for Good Neighbor Authority to be used for recreation projects.  The legislation now heads to the President’s desk and is expected to be signed into law.  

The Water Resources and Development Act and Water Data Improvement Act

On December 18, the Senate passed the Water Monitoring and Tracking Essential Resources (WATER) Data Improvement Act.  The bill reauthorizes the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Federal Priority Streamgage Network and the National Groundwater Monitoring Network, both programs that are supported by Western Governors.  In September of this year, WGA sent the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources a letter supporting this bipartisan legislation.

Western Governors greatly value the partnerships they’ve formed in Washington, D.C., and look forward to working with incoming Trump Administration and the 119th Congress on additional bipartisan policy solutions for our most pressing challenges facing the West.