Deb Haaland Secretary at U.S. Department of Interior | Official website
The Department of the Interior has announced that the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) will allocate $130 million in fiscal year 2024 for the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program. This initiative is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to address legacy pollution while creating jobs and economic opportunities in coalfield communities.
The funding will be available to six Appalachian states with significant unfunded high-priority abandoned mine land (AML) issues, as well as three Tribes with approved AML programs. The AMLER program, established in 2016, aims to transform legacy coal mining sites into productive uses through economic and community development. These high-priority AML problems pose immediate threats to community health, safety, and welfare.
“The AMLER program leads to opportunities for economic revitalization, community development, and the creation of good-paying jobs while addressing long-standing hazards and environmental degradation in coal communities in America,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Dr. Steve Feldgus. He added that this investment aligns with President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
OSMRE Principal Deputy Director Sharon Buccino emphasized the importance of federal support: “The AMLER program provides invaluable assistance to communities to help shape a prosperous future. OSMRE is committed to turning available federal dollars into results on the ground in coal communities.”
For fiscal year 2024, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia will each receive $28.67 million; Alabama, Ohio, and Virginia will each receive $11 million; and the Crow Tribe, Hopi Tribe, and Navajo Nation will each receive $3.67 million. States and Tribes will collaborate with local partners to identify projects that offer maximum environmental and economic benefits.
This funding supplements investments from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated $16 billion over 15 years to address legacy pollution, including $11.3 billion specifically for AML cleanup. This historic funding aims to resolve nearly all currently inventoried abandoned coal mine lands nationwide.
The initiative supports an equitable transition to a sustainable economy following mine or power plant closures and advances the President’s Justice40 Initiative. This initiative seeks to deliver 40 percent of certain federal investment benefits to historically marginalized communities affected by underinvestment and pollution. Additionally, reclaiming abandoned coal mines is integral to the Biden-Harris administration’s Methane Action Plan aimed at reducing methane emissions while fostering job creation and innovation.
For more information about AMLER and its administration for fiscal year 2024 funds, visit OSMRE’s AMLER webpage.
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