US Congress House Bill 4483 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: Introduced on February 4 2016 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2016-02-05 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Gold King Mine Spill Accountability Act of 2016 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to appoint a special investigator to investigate: (1) who was at fault for the discharge of contaminated water from the Gold King Mine north of Silverton, Colorado, into Cement Creek; (2) which individuals were responsible for the decisions that led to the spill; and (3) what downstream environmental effects were caused by the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) actions, or inactions, after the spill. The bill: (1) entitles individuals to receive compensation for a claim filed, or civil action brought, under the Federal Tort Claims Act relating to an injury resulting from the spill, and (2) establishes within the EPA the Office of Gold King Mine Spill Claims for processing claims of allowable damages resulting from the spill. The EPA may provide compensation for a claim in an amount greater than $25,000 without the prior approval of DOJ. The EPA must fund the implementation of the long-term monitoring program developed by the Long-Term Impact Review Team of New Mexico, for the water quality of the Animas and San Juan Rivers. The EPA may not finalize or work on any rules (including those not related to the spill) until all claims have been paid, except rules that are necessary to address an imminent threat to public health or safety, or other emergency.

Gold King Mine Spill Accountability Act of 2016

Rep. Stevan Pearce [R-NM]

Rep. Jeff Duncan [R-SC]

Rep. Ryan Zinke [R-MT]

Date	Chamber	Action
2016-02-05	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
2016-02-05	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy.
2016-02-04	House	Referred to House Agriculture
2016-02-04	House	Referred to House Energy and Commerce
2016-02-04	House	Referred to House Rules
2016-02-04	House	Referred to House Judiciary
2016-02-04	House	Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
2016-02-04	House	Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Rules, Energy and Commerce, and Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2016-02-04	House	Introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4483/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr4483/BILLS-114hr4483ih.pdf