text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Gold King Accountability and 
  Compensation for Taxpayers'' or the ``Gold King ACT''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds that--
              (1) on August 5, 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency 
          caused the release of approximately 3,000,000 gallons of 
          contaminated water from the Gold King Mine into Cement Creek;
              (2) the Environmental Protection Agency takes full 
          responsibility for the Gold King Mine spill;
              (3) the peer reviewer of the Corps of Engineers to the 
          report of the Department of the Interior relating to the Gold 
          King Mine spill expressed concerns about the independent nature 
          of the report and the internal communications and decisions of 
          the Environmental Protection Agency relating to the spill;
              (4) the Environmental Protection Agency should be held to 
          the same standards as the private sector would be if the 
          private sector caused a similar spill;
              (5) the Environmental Protection Agency should hold 
          accountable those individuals responsible for the Gold King 
          Mine spill; and
              (6) since response activities took place after October 31, 
          2015, the Environmental Protection Agency should reimburse 
          requests for response activity expenses incurred after that 
          date.
  
  SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
  
      In this Act:
              (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
          Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
              (2) Gold king mine spill.--The term ``Gold King Mine 
          spill'' means the discharge on August 5, 2015, of approximately 
          3,000,000 gallons of contaminated water from the Gold King Mine 
          north of Silverton, Colorado, into Cement Creek that occurred 
          while contractors of the Environmental Protection Agency were 
          conducting an investigation of the Gold King Mine.
              (3) Independent contractor.--The term ``independent 
          contractor'' means any person, as of August 5, 2015, that--
                      (A) entered into a contract with a Federal agency 
                  (as defined in section 2671 of title 28, United States 
                  Code) for goods or services relating to the Gold King 
                  Mine spill; and
                      (B) was not an employee of the Government (as 
                  defined in section 2671 of title 28, United States 
                  Code).
              (4) Injured person.--The term ``injured person'' means a 
          person that--
                      (A) suffered injury resulting from the Gold King 
                  Mine spill; and
                      (B) is--
                              (i) an individual;
                              (ii) an Indian tribe, tribal corporation, 
                          or other tribal organization;
                              (iii) a corporation, business, partnership, 
                          company, association, insurer, county, 
                          township, city, State or political subdivision 
                          of a State, school district, ditch company, 
                          special district, water district, water 
                          company, the Animas-La Plata Operation, 
                          Maintenance and Replacement Association, or 
                          other non-Federal entity; or
                              (iv) a legal representative of an 
                          individual or entity described in any of 
                          clauses (i) through (iii).
              (5) Injury.--The term ``injury'' means any damage to, or 
          loss of, property, or a personal injury or death, caused by a 
          negligent or wrongful act or omission of a Federal officer, 
          employee, contractor, or subcontractor while acting within the 
          scope of office, employment, or contract, under circumstances 
          in which the Federal officer, employee, contractor, or 
          subcontractor, if a private person, would be liable to the 
          claimant in accordance with the law of the jurisdiction in 
          which the act or omission occurred.
  
  SEC. 4. GOLD KING MINE SPILL CLAIMS PURSUANT TO THE FEDERAL TORT CLAIMS 
                ACT.
  
      (a) Responsibilities of the Administrator.--
              (1) In general.--An injured person may bring a claim 
          arising out of, or relating to, any injury resulting from the 
          Gold King Mine spill under chapter 171 of title 28, United 
          States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Tort Claims Act'') 
          and the Administrator shall receive, process, and pay those 
          claims in accordance with this section.
              (2) Timing.--
                      (A) In general.--Notwithstanding section 2675(a) of 
                  title 28, United States Code, not later than 90 days 
                  after the date on which an injured person submits to 
                  the Administrator a claim under this section, the 
                  Administrator shall award or deny the payment of the 
                  claim.
                      (B) Partially paid claims.--In the case of a claim 
                  for which, as of the date of enactment of this Act, the 
                  Administrator has partially awarded payment to an 
                  injured person, the Administrator shall award the 
                  remaining payment not later than 60 days after that 
                  date of enactment.
                      (C) Previously filed claims.--In the case of a 
                  claim for which, as of the date of enactment of this 
                  Act, not fewer than 90 days have passed since the date 
                  on which an injured person submitted to the 
                  Administrator a claim under this section, not later 
                  than 60 days after that date of enactment, the 
                  Administrator shall award or deny payment of the claim.
      (b) Applicability of Other Law.--
              (1) Applicability of exception.--Section 2680(a) of title 
          28, United States Code, shall not apply to claims brought under 
          this section.
              (2) Independent contractors.--For purposes of a claim 
          brought under this section, the definition of the term 
          ``Federal agency'' under section 2671 of title 28, United 
          States Code, shall be considered to include an independent 
          contractor.
      (c) Allowable Damages.--
              (1) Property loss.--A claim that is paid for loss of 
          property under this section may include otherwise-uncompensated 
          damages resulting from the Gold King Mine spill for--
                      (A) a cost resulting from lost tribal or nontribal 
                  subsistence from hunting, fishing, firewood gathering, 
                  timbering, grazing, or agricultural activities, or from 
                  lost use for traditional or ceremonial uses, conducted 
                  on land or water damaged by the Gold King Mine spill;
                      (B) a cost of reforestation or revegetation on 
                  tribal or non-Federal land, to the extent that the cost 
                  of reforestation or revegetation is not covered by any 
                  other Federal program;
                      (C) any costs borne by any injured person to 
                  determine the extent of--
                              (i) the damages to agricultural land; or
                              (ii) any other damages covered by this Act;
                      (D) any costs borne by an injured person to pay for 
                  water supplies or equipment to treat water during the 
                  period for which a water supply of the injured person 
                  was compromised by the Gold King Mine spill; and
                      (E) any other loss that the Administrator 
                  determines to be appropriate for inclusion as loss of 
                  property.
              (2) Business loss.--A claim that is paid for an injury 
          under this section may include damages resulting from the Gold 
          King Mine spill for the following types of otherwise-
          uncompensated business loss:
                      (A) Damage to tangible assets or inventory.
                      (B) Lost business income.
                      (C) Overhead costs.
                      (D) Employee wages for work not performed.
                      (E) Any other loss that the Administrator 
                  determines to be appropriate for inclusion as a 
                  business loss.
              (3) Financial loss.--A claim that is paid for an injury 
          under this section may include damages resulting from the Gold 
          King Mine spill for the following types of otherwise-
          uncompensated financial loss:
                      (A) An insurance deductible.
                      (B) Lost wages or personal income.
                      (C) Emergency staffing expenses.
                      (D) Debris removal and other cleanup costs.
                      (E) Any other loss that the Administrator 
                  determines to be appropriate for inclusion as a 
                  financial loss.
      (d) Recoupment for Improper Payments.--Notwithstanding any other 
  provision of law, during the 13-year period beginning on the date on 
  which a claim is awarded under this section, the Administrator may take 
  such action as is necessary to recover payments made under this section 
  with respect to fraudulent claims and claims made with inaccurate 
  information.
      (e) Source of Payments.--
              (1) In general.--Any compensation or award against the 
          Government made pursuant to a claim under this section shall be 
          paid by the Administrator from unobligated balances in the 
          appropriations accounts of the Environmental Protection Agency.
              (2) Intent of congress.--It is the intent of Congress that 
          no additional funds be appropriated to carry out this Act.
  
  SEC. 5. GOLD KING MINE SPILL CLAIMS PURSUANT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE 
                ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSE, COMPENSATION, AND LIABILITY ACT.
  
      (a) In General.--The Administrator shall, consistent with the 
  national contingency plan, receive, process, and pay under the 
  Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act 
  of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) claims related to the Gold King Mine 
  spill.
      (b) Eligible Claims.--The Administrator shall receive, process, and 
  pay under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and 
  Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) claims related to the 
  Gold King Mine spill that otherwise would be ineligible under that Act 
  or the national contingency plan if the response action carried out by 
  the claimant is not inconsistent with the national contingency plan as 
  described in section 107 of that Act (42 U.S.C. 9607).
      (c) Timing.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
          which an injured person submits to the Administrator a claim 
          under this section, the Administrator shall award or deny the 
          payment of the claim.
              (2) Partially paid claims.--In the case of a claim for 
          which, as of the date of enactment of this Act, the 
          Administrator has partially awarded payment to an injured 
          person, the Administrator shall award the remaining payment not 
          later than 60 days after that date of enactment.
              (3) Previously filed claims.--In the case of a claim for 
          which, as of the date of enactment of this Act, not fewer than 
          90 days have passed since the date on which an injured person 
          submitted to the Administrator a claim under this section, not 
          later than 60 days after that date of enactment, the 
          Administrator shall award or deny payment of the claim.
  
  SEC. 6. EFFECT OF ACT; REDUCTION IN PAYMENT.
  
      (a) Effect of Act.--This Act does not diminish the ability of the 
  Administrator to carry out the responsibilities of the Administrator 
  under any other provision of law.
      (b) Reduction in Payment.--To prevent a claimant from receiving 
  twice the damage award for the same injury or claim--
              (1) any compensation or award against the Government under 
          section 4 shall be deducted from any payment awarded against 
          the Government under section 5; and
              (2) any compensation or award against the Government under 
          section 5 shall be deducted from any payment awarded against 
          the Government under section 4.
  
  SEC. 7. WATER QUALITY PROGRAM.
  
      (a) In General.--In response to the Gold King Mine spill, the 
  Administrator, in coordination with affected States and Indian tribes, 
  shall develop and implement a program for long-term water quality 
  monitoring of the Animas River.
      (b) Requirements.--In carrying out the program described in 
  subsection (a), the Administrator shall--
              (1) collect water quality samples and sediment data;
              (2) provide the public with a means of viewing the samples 
          and data referred to in paragraph (1) by, at a minimum, posting 
          the information on the website of the Administrator;
              (3) take any other relevant measure necessary to assist 
          affected States and Indian tribes with long-term water 
          monitoring; and
              (4) carry out additional program activities, as determined 
          by the Administrator.
target: Gold King Accountability and Compensation for Taxpayers or the Gold King ACT This bill allows a person to bring a compensation claim for allowable damages (i.e., property, business, or financial losses) under the Federal Tort Claims Act if the claim is related to an injury resulting from the spill in Cement Creek from the Gold King Mine near Silverton, Colorado. The spill occurred on August 5, 2015. The bill prohibits certain exemptions and limitations on tort claims against the United States under the Act from applying to claims for injuries resulting from the spill.  The EPA must receive, process, and pay under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 claims related to the Gold King Mine spill, including claims that otherwise would be ineligible under that Act or the national oil and hazardous substances pollution contingency plan if the response action carried out by the claimant is not inconsistent with the plan. The EPA must pay claims from unobligated balances in its accounts. The EPA must develop and implement a program for long-term water quality monitoring of the Animas River.
feat_title: Gold King ACT