DEP Begins Accepting Applications For $103.4 Million In Abandoned Mine Reclamation Grants Starting Oct. 24

The Department of Environmental Protection will begin accepting applications for abandoned mine reclamation and mine drainage treatment project grants on October 24.  The deadline for applications is January 13.

DEP's Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation has a total of $103.4 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding available in this first grant round in four categories--

-- $30 million in Abandoned Mine Land reclamation projects;

-- $20 million in Acid Mine Drainage operation and maintenance or replacement of existing AMD facilities;

-- $20 million in new Acid Mine Drainage Treatment Facility Projects; and

-- $33.4 million in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization Program Projects

Eligible applicants include county or municipal governments; county conservation districts; councils of government; municipal authorities; and nonprofit organizations.

Projects eligible for a grant through the AML/AMD Grant Program must reclaim or enhance AML sites posing a threat to the environment and/or public health and safety as specified in SMCRA. 

Sites must be determined eligible by the BAMR, entered into both Pennsylvania’s and OSMRE’s AML inventory systems, and, in most cases, be associated with a coal mine that was abandoned prior to August 3, 1977. 

Projects shall primarily focus on the reclamation of AML, abatement of AMD through reclamation, and/or treatment of AMD through the construction, operation, and/or maintenance of an AMD treatment facility.

The reclamation of environmental and/or public health and safety problems unrelated to abandoned coal mines will not be considered. 

Projects must directly achieve, or develop and/or design a project that will achieve, quantifiable reclamation and environmental improvements through accepted and proven practices and theories as determined by the DEP. 

Projects that will not achieve quantifiable environmental improvement or are solely research and development oriented will not be considered. 

Click Here for more information and program guidance.  Look for more information in the near future.

The application document and attachments must be completed and uploaded into the Commonwealth’s eGrants system by the application deadline for each round.

For assistance with the eGrants System please contact the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Customer Service Center by email at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov  or by phone at 1.800.379.7448. 

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[Posted: October 12, 2022]  PA Environment Digest