Program: abandoned mined lands (AML) program (title IV) award purpose: the surface mining control and reclamation act of 1977 (SMCRA), P.L 95-87, as amended, created the office of surface mining…

The Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement awarded the Navajo Nation Tribal Government $458,655 under the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program (CFDA 15.252) on October 1, 2025, with performance through September 30, 2028.

The award funds reclamation activities defined in the Navajo Nation's approved AML reclamation plan, including closure of dangerous mine openings, acid mine drainage treatment, groundwater remediation, and related support costs for equipment and support services. The grant also covers costs to develop amendments to the approved reclamation plan. All activities must comply with 2 CFR 200 and target lands eligible under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977—primarily lands mined and abandoned or inadequately restored before August 3, 1977, or legacy sites mined after that date but abandoned before November 5, 1990, where surety bonds became insolute.

Work is performed in Arizona. The Navajo Nation Tribal Government, as a federally recognized sovereign tribe with an approved Title IV AML program and active mining operations paying fees into the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund, operates as the direct recipient and performs reclamation work across its jurisdiction spanning Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. The program prioritizes protection of public health, safety, and property from adverse effects of coal mining practices and restoration of land and water resources.

Activities

This grant funds the AML reclamation activities of the approved reclamation plan of the navajo nation tribal government as described in 30 CFR, subchapter T - programs for the conduct of surface mining operations within each state/tribe. Activities funded by this grant must comply with 2 CFR 200 and 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://WWW.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. Costs to develop an amendment to the approved program.

Intended beneficiaries

In accordance with section 403 of smcra (P.L. 95-87), as amended, the AML program prioritizes: 1. Protection of public health, safety, and property from adverse effects of coal mining practices; 2. Restoration of land and water resources, the environment, and property from extreme danger of adverse effects of coal mining practices, 3. Restoration of land and water resources and the environment previously degraded by adverse effects of coal mining practices, including measures for the conservation and development of soil, water (excluding channelization), woodland, fish and wildlife, recreation resources, and agricultural productivity. Subrecipient activities (if known or specified at time of award): N/a