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OSMRE makes $1.3 million in Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program grants available for acid mine drainage cleanup

Date

Date: August 4, 2022
Contact: getinfo@osmre.gov (202) 208-2565

OSMRE makes $1.3 million in Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program grants available for acid mine drainage cleanup

WASHINGTON – As part of its efforts to combat legacy coal mining pollution and create healthier communities, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is making approximately $1.3 million available in fiscal year 2022 for Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program (WCAP) grants to allow non-profit organizations to undertake acid mine drainage reclamation projects. The money will allow local watershed restoration groups and other non-profit organizations to partner with states to help further the impact of the historic investment in acid mine drainage cleanup provided by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.Long narrow ALD. Workers wrapping the limestone with synthetic liner before burial. Vertical pipes are used to measure head loss caused by the gradual accumulation of precipitate within the porosity of the limestone.

These investments promote healthy watersheds, support clean drinking water, productive fisheries and outdoor recreation, and ultimately provide a positive impact for local economies, the environment and overall quality of life for local residents.

WCAP grants are capped at a maximum of $100,000 per project to complete local acid mine drainage reclamation projects. Projects can include installation of passive or active water treatment systems, including repairs and renovations. Projects can include reclamation of lands that are contributing sediment or acid forming materials to streams.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes a historic $11.3 billion investment to clean up abandoned mine lands over the next fifteen years, including by treating acid mine drainage and improving local water quality.

Non-profit watershed restoration groups and other non-profit organizations are invited to submit proposals for Watershed Cooperative Agreement program awards to restore the health of local streams and provide community recreational opportunities. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on September 20.

To be eligible for WCAP grants, applicants must be a not-for-profit organization, including minority-serving institutions, that is tax exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code B. Organizations are encouraged to have partners contributing either funds or in-kind services to the project.

For more information about the WCAP grants and to apply for financial assistance, visit Grants.gov.

For examples of WCAP funded projects, visit https://www.osmre.gov/programs/watersheds.

– OSMRE –

The OSMRE carries out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 in cooperation with states and Tribes. OSMRE’s objectives are to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, to ensure that the land is restored to beneficial use after mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines.