The Good Samaritan Clean Watershed Act aims to lower legal roadblocks to cleaning up more than 500,000 abandoned mines across the country. It would remove potential liability for volunteer organizations willing to restore watersheds affected by acid drainage from the mines.

"Environmental responsibility is everyone´s responsibility, and President Bush and EPA are equipping America´s eager army of citizen conservationists with the essential tools to protect our shared environment," said Stephen Johnson, Environmental Protection Agency administrator.

In order for a person or organization to qualify as a good Samaritan, they must have neither caused the contamination nor be legally responsible for its cleanup.

Under current law, anyone helping clean up an abandoned mine could become liable for the entire cleanup and any runoff from the site.

Inactive or abandoned mines can pose public health and environmental hazards, including acid drainage that can damage watersheds and degrade water quality.