HB 2213

Abstract

Work group; gold mining; prohibition on permitting; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural Resources, the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, and the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to establish a work group to study the mining of gold in the Commonwealth. The bill requires that the study be conducted in consultation with the Virginia Council on Environmental Justice and appropriate stakeholders, including experts in mining, hydrology, toxicology, and other fields; environmental organizations; representatives of potentially affected communities in localities with significant deposits of gold; and residents of Native American communities in such counties.The bill provides that the work group shall evaluate the impacts of gold mining on public health, safety, and welfare; evaluate whether existing air and water quality regulations are sufficient to protect air and water quality from the mining and processing of gold; and evaluate whether existing bonding, reclamation, closure, and long-term monitoring of sites for such mining or processing are sufficient; and report its findings to the General Assembly by July 1, 2022. The bill also prohibits the issuance of any permit by the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to operate a gold mine of an area larger than 10 acres until July 1, 2023.

Study; gold mining; prohibition on permitting;report. Directs the Secretary of Natural Resources, the Secretaryof Health and Human Resources, and the Secretary of Commerce andTrade to conduct a study of the mining of gold in the Commonwealth.The bill requires that the study be conducted in consultation withthe Virginia Council on Environmental Justice and appropriate stakeholders,including experts in mining, hydrology, toxicology, and other fields;environmental organizations; representatives of potentially affectedcommunities in localities with significant deposits of gold; and residentsof Native American communities in such counties. Thebill provides that the study shall evaluate the impacts of gold miningon public health, safety, and welfare; evaluate whether existing air and water quality regulations are sufficient; consider which processingand beneficiation techniques, including cyanide heap leaching andcyanide vat leaching, should be permitted; consider whether the dewateringof an open pit mine should be permitted; make a recommendation asto whether the issuance of any permit to operate a gold mine shouldbe prohibited; and report its findings to the General Assembly byJuly 1, 2023. The bill also prohibits the issuance of any permitby the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy to operate a goldmine of an area larger than 10 acres until July 1, 2024.