The Western PA Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation announced this week the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is seeking applications for the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program.

Eligible abandoned mine treatment projects can be awarded up to $100,000 in matching funds not to exceed 28 percent of the total project cost.  OSMRE is actively looking for projects to use this money.

Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program funds are commonly paired with Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Growing Greener grants, which are expected to be announced this spring.  OSMRE funds can also be matched with other state, foundation, and industry funds.

Last year, a portion of the OSMRE's Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program funds went unused by Pennsylvania and the money was returned to the Federal government.  In light of the magnitude of abandoned mine related problems in our state, let's not let that happen again this year.

If you have questions or a project in mind, please contact David Hamilton of OSMRE by calling  717-782-2285 ext. 15 or sending email to: dhamilton@osmre.gov.

(Written By Anne Daymut, WPCAMR Watershed Coordinator, and reprinted from Abandoned Mine Posts.)

12/31/2012