On March 1, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced Pennsylvania will receive a total of $52.4 million to support its mine reclamation efforts-- $27.4 million for its ongoing program and $25 million for mine reclamation projects designed to improve local economies.

The last federal mine reclamation grants received covered January of 2020 to December of 2022-- $32.1 million, pulse $25 million for projects designed to improve local economies.  Read more here.

The 2019 to 2021 grant totaled $53.8 million, plus the additional $25 million.

Click Here for the complete announcement.

For more information on the program, visit DEP’s Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program webpage.

[Reauthorize Federal Reclamation Fee

[The per ton federal abandoned mine reclamation fee that funds mine drainage cleanup projects across the country is due to expire this year-- 2021.

[States like Pennsylvania have hundreds of thousands of acres of abandoned mine lands and mine discharges in need of reclamation and treatment.

[They will not be able to continue these efforts if the fee is not reauthorized.

[Visit the PA AML Campaign website for more information from the point of view of local and regional groups involved in abandoned mine reclamation in Pennsylvania.

[Visit the Our Work’s Not Done website supported by states involved in the federal abandoned mine reclamation program.

[How Clean Is Your Stream?

[DEP’s Interactive Report Viewer allows you to zoom in on your own stream or watershed to find out how clean your stream is or if it has impaired water quality using the latest information in the draft 2020 Water Quality Report.].

(Photo: Slippery Rock Creek Watershed, Butler County before and after mine drainage treatment.)

[Posted: March 1, 2021]

3/8/2021