33 U.S.C. § 1257 — Mine water pollution control demonstrations

(a) Comprehensive approaches to elimination or control of mine-water pollution. The Administrator, working with the Appalachian Regional Commission and other Federal agencies, may conduct, make grants for, or contract for projects demonstrating comprehensive ways to eliminate or control acid or other mine-water pollution from active or abandoned mining and other environmental pollution affecting water quality in all or part of a watershed or river basin, including siltation from surface mining. The projects must demonstrate the engineering and economic feasibility and practicality of different abatement methods that would substantially contribute to effective and practical ways to eliminate or control acid or other mine-water pollution and other water-quality pollution. They may include methods showing the feasibility and practicality of using sewage sludge and other municipal waste to reduce or prevent water-quality pollution from acid, sedimentation, or other pollutants, and methods to restore affected land to useful forestry, agriculture, recreation, or other beneficial purposes. (b) Consistency with subtitle IV of title 40. Before an Administrator demonstration project is undertaken in the Appalachian region, as defined in section 14102(a)(1) and (b) of title 40, the Appalachian Regional Commission must determine that the project is consistent with the objectives of subtitle IV of title 40. (c) Watershed selection. When selecting watersheds for this section, the Administrator must be satisfied that nearby sources will not adversely affect the project area through an influx of acid or other mine-water pollution. (d) Conditions on Federal participation. Federal participation is conditioned on: (1) the State acquiring any land or interests in land needed for the project; and (2) the State providing legal and practical protection for the project area to ensure that activities will not later cause acid or other mine-water pollution. (e) Authorization of appropriations. $30 million is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, and the money remains available until spent.