The Arizona House of Representatives has passed three critical measures sponsored by State Representative Selina Bliss, aimed at ensuring accountability and environmental responsibility when dealing with hazardous and abandoned mine sites. HB2127, HB2128, and HCM2007 are a direct response to a troubling situation in Yavapai County involving the Senator Mine, where a Chinese-owned company abandoned its operations after causing widespread public safety risks. The company refused to cooperate with state officials, leaving local and state agencies to deal with the environmental consequences.
“We cannot allow foreign entities and bad actors to exploit our natural resources, and violate our laws, only to skip town while Arizonans are left holding the bag,” Representative Bliss said. “These bills ensure that Arizona communities aren’t left vulnerable to environmental hazards, while also giving good actors an opportunity to earn support in our local communities. I’m proud to see them pass the House, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to support them.”
HB2127 establishes clear notification requirements when regulated entities seek to sell their contaminated properties to third parties in order to avoid pending litigation, ensuring that buyers, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), and the State Mine Inspector are aware of the potential sale.
HB2128 expands Arizona’s existing Prospective Purchaser Agreement program to allow responsible third parties—such as environmental organizations and reputable mining companies—to clean up contaminated sites without being held liable for the damage caused by previous bad actors.
HCM2007 is a legislative memorial that urges state officials to take advantage of the newly established Good Samaritan Act, created under federal law. The program works in tandem with HB2128 to enable nonprofit groups and private entities to clean up abandoned mines without facing regulatory roadblocks.
“Right now, there are groups willing to step up and help clean Arizona’s environmental messes, but they’re afraid of being saddled with liability for problems they didn’t cause,” Representative Bliss explained. “These measures fix that. They open the door for more voluntary remediation, allowing experts to restore these sites without fear of legal repercussions. This is a win for Arizona’s environment and our economy.”
A fact sheet can be found here.
2 thoughts on “Arizona House Passes Bill Package to Address Contaminated Sites and Abandoned Mines”
WHY is CHINA mining in the U.S.? They should be prevented from gaining access to our land, our waters, our minerals and our air space. They are not an ally and our countries are not exactly friends. Someone must be receiving payoffs from the Chicoms, but
we will never find out, thanks to the supportive Press (CNN, MSNBC, AP) media who don’t report any news that might be
harmful to Liberals and their Liberal politicians. Anyone who challenges such perfidy is labeled a “Racist,” or “Deplorable.”
Dear Rep Bliss,
Thank you for addressing this issue at the State level.
Can you tell us if/when you contacted a Congressional Representative to address this bad foreign actor at the Federal level?
Thank you
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