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 Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) received an $8.574 million Formula Grant from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) under the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program (CFDA 15.252), awarded July 1, 2026, with a completion date of June 30, 2031. This award is funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and represents Tennessee's allocation of the $725 million distributed annually to eligible states and tribes over a 15-year period. The grant supports reclamation of coal-mined lands and waters in Tennessee that were abandoned or inadequately restored prior to specified dates under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA).

Under this award, TDEC will perform reclamation activities including elimination of physical hazards from legacy coal mining—such as dangerous highwalls, waste piles, subsidence features, and open mine portals—and treatment of acid mine drainage. The grant also funds provision of safe drinking water in areas where groundwater has been contaminated by abandoned coal mines. All costs must align with TDEC's approved reclamation plan and include direct project activities, equipment, support services, and costs associated with plan amendments. Deliverables and program outcomes are documented and reported through OSMRE's oversight mechanisms, with financial records required to be retained for three years following final expenditure reporting.

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