AN ACT relating to environmental protection and declaring an emergency.

This bill changes how Kentucky defines "waters of the Commonwealth" under environmental law and sets new rules for calculating bond amounts that mining companies must pay when their operations require long-term water treatment. By defining "long-term treatment" and spelling out how those bonds are calculated, the law aims to ensure money is set aside to cover ongoing environmental cleanup costs tied to mining permits. It took effect immediately upon passage as an emergency measure. Who it may affect: coal mining companies, environmental regulators, and communities near mining operations.

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