Program: infrastructure investment and jobs act abandoned mined lands (IIJA AML) program (title IV) award purpose: the infrastructure investment and jobs act (IIJA) (PUB

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources received a $46.4 million Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation formula grant from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) under CFDA 15.252, effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030. This grant funds the reclamation of coal-mined lands and waters abandoned or inadequately restored before August 3, 1977, with a focus on eliminating physical hazards to public health, safety, and the environment across Ohio's coalfield communities.

Deliverables include completion of reclamation activities directly identified in Ohio's approved reclamation plan, such as elimination of dangerous highwalls, waste piles, subsidence features, and open portals; treatment of acid mine drainage; and provision of safe drinking water in areas where groundwater has been contaminated by abandoned coal mining. The grant also funds support costs including equipment, support services, and costs to develop amendments to the approved reclamation program. As a formula grant distributed under the 15-year IIJA authorization, Ohio receives its proportional annual allocation (approximately $725 million distributed nationally per year) to address legacy coal mining impacts within its jurisdiction.

Activities

Activities include all costs necessary to reclaim eligible lands as defined by smcra and the approved reclamation plan and include costs are for activities directly identified in the approved reclamation plan, support costs including such activities as equipment and support services, and costs to develop an amendment to the approved reclamation plan. Expected deliverables or outcomes: documents related to the oversight of the state program, including deliverables, expected outcomes, and past annual evaluation reports for the state can be found on the osmre website https://odocs.osmre.GOV/. Costs must be used for activities directly identified in the approved program. Support costs must be used for the activities identified in the approved program, including such activities as equipment and support services as well as costs to develop an amendment to the approved program.

Intended beneficiaries

States and tribes may use IIJA AML grants to address coal AML problems, including: 1. Hazards resulting from legacy coal mining that pose a threat to public health, safety, and the environment within their jurisdictions (including, but not limited to, dangerous highwalls, waste piles, subsidence, open portals, features that may be routes for the release of harmful gases, acid mine drainage, etc.); 2. Water supply restoration (infrastructure); and 3. Coal AML emergencies. Subrecipient activities (if known or specified at time of award): n/a