Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR)

 

The objectives are to protect the public, health, safety and general welfare, and restore land, water and environmental resources affected by coal and non-coal mining practices that occurred prior to August 3, 1977

Active 15.252 Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Department of The Interior A - Formula Grants; B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. Since 1978, the AML grants have accelerate the completion of priority abandoned coal problems and restored to productive use land for agriculture, wildlife habitat and development. Mine site reclamation has also safeguards people and property, and revitalizes communities by creating jobs.
Fiscal Year 2018 Information not available.
Fiscal Year 2019 Information not available. Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95-87, as amended, 91 Stat. 445-532. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 Division G, Title I, Public Law 114-113 The AML program is restricted to states with (1) an approved coal mining regulatory program, (2) lands eligible for reclamation, and (3) active coal mining operations within their borders that are paying coal reclamation fees into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund; and to federally-recognized Indian tribes with (4) eligible lands, and (5) active mining operations paying fees into the Fund. An eligible state or Indian tribe may submit a reclamation plan to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) for approval. The AML Pilot Program is restricted to the three Tribes with AML Programs and six Appalachian states with the highest amount of inventoried priority coal problems as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 403(a) of SMCRA. As a result, grants under this pilot program are available only to the Crow Tribe, Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Commonwealths of Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and the States of Alabama, Ohio and West Virginia. Citizens and the general public are protected from physical hazards and benefit from the reclamation of abandoned mine lands and polluted waters by reducing exposure to safety and health risks. The AML Pilot Program aims to enhance the economic diversification of coal country communities and bring legacy coal sites to productive reuse. The Secretary of Interior must approve a state or tribal Indian reclamation plan. AML grants must be approved by an authorized official of the appropriate OSMRE regional or field office. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Environmental clearance actions for each individual reclamation project are completed as part of the recipient's request for OSM's approval of the Authorization to proceed, which is the point of federal action for that reclamation project. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Applicants must use the SF-424 series in accordance with 2 CFR Part 215.12. Applications must be submitted to their appropriate regional office. The regional office must act upon a grant application within 60 days of submittal of a complete application (An exception is for certified States that submit AML grant applications in which OSMRE must complete its review within 30 days). All applications will be initially screened for eligibility and compliance with the requirements stated notice of funding opportunity. All timely submitted and qualified proposals are reviewed by an OSMRE selection panel. Applications will be rated based on established criteria used to evaluate merit as outlined in Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants may undergo a site visit. The OSMRE Field Directors or his/her designee approves and awards cooperative agreements for this program. If the application is not approved, the regional office must provide the reasons for disapproval in writing. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. The application deadline will be 60 days from the initial posting date in www.Grants.gov. Office of Surface Mining, Division of Reclamation Support, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. Contact: Chief, Division of Reclamation Support. Telephone: (202) 208-2868. Telefax: (202) 219-0239. An applicant may appeal the OSMRE decision not to approve a grant or to reduce or terminate a grant to the Director, OSMRE, no later than 30 days after the disapproval action. Renewals are not applicable; Each recipient grantee may apply for non-funded extensions of time as necessary to complete the project up to one year. Selection criteria are outlined in Section 403 and 411 of Public Law 95-87, cited Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program regulations, and approved state/tribal reclamation plans. States and Indian tribes must have an approved SMCRA regulatory (Title V) program and an approved reclamation (Title IV) program to be eligible to receive mandatory AML funding. AML Pilot projects are selected based on meeting eligibility required outlined in OSMRE's "Guidance for Project Eligibility under the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Economic Development Pilot Program for Fiscal Year 2019". Eligibility is based on having proximity to an AML site and having a measurable impact to economic/community development. Grants are awarded to 25 coal-producing states and three Indian tribes to support the operation of an approved state or tribal Abandoned Mine Land (AML) reclamation program. Approved programs use grant funds provides for the restoration of eligible lands and waters mined and abandoned or left inadequately restored. Most of the lands and water eligible for reclamation under this authority are those which were mined or affected by mining and abandoned or left in an inadequate reclamation status prior to August 3, 1977 and for which there is no continuing reclamation responsibility under State or other Federal laws. A limited number of legacy sites mined after August 3, 1977 and abandoned before November 5, 1990 for which the surety bonds responsible for the reclamation of the site became insolvent. Uses of the grants support project design and AML reclamation activities, which may include abating emergency mining-related dangers to public health and safety; restoring water supply facilities impacted by coal mining; setting aside funds in a trust account to fund future acid mine drainage treatment and inventorying mining problems. Approved programs that 3 have certified completion for reclaiming all their inventoried coal problems on lands within their jurisdiction may use funds for non-coal coal reclamation activities as authorized under SMCRA. Additionally, The AML Reclamation Economic Development Pilot Program (AML Pilot) shall be used for economic and community development in conjunction with the priorities found in section 403(a) of the Surface Mining control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) and is limited to eligible Tribes and Appalachian States as authorized under the Appropriation law (Public Law 116-6). Performance Reports: Contact Office of Surface Mining, Division of Reclamation Support, Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW., Washington, DC 20240. Contact: Chief, Division of Reclamation Support. Telephone: (202) 208-2868. Telefax: (202) 219-0239. Not applicable. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report; If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims, or audit findings involving the records have been resolved and final action taken, in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart D SS200.333 Statutory Formula: Public Law 95-87

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Grant periods are variable; however, funds for reclamation construction activities should normally be expended within three years after award. Information not available. See Catalog Appendix IV for addresses. Yolande J.C. Norman, Chief
Division of Reclamation Support
Program Support Directorate
Department of Interior
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation & Enforcement
1849 C Street NW
Main Interior Building, Room 4545
Washington, DC 20240 US
ynorman@osmre.gov
Phone: 2022082585 http://www.osmre.gov 14-1803-0-1-999 (Project Grants) FY 18 est $327,600,000.00; FY 19 est $0.00; FY 17$321,979,595.00; The range of financial assistance is $126,440 to $97,794,527; $11,499, General regulations are found in Title 30, Code of Federal Regulations, and Parts 870-887. "Final Guidelines for Reclamation Programs and Projects", 66 Federal Register, 31250, June 11, 2001. Fiscal Year 2019 Information not available.
Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. Examples of projects reclaimed include hazardous and/or environmentally damaged features on mined lands, landslides, mine openings, impoundments, dangerous high walls, underground mine fires and burning refuse banks, mine subsidence, coal refuse piles, and acid mine drainage.
Fiscal Year 2018 Information not available.