Federal Grant Award Summary

The Virginia Department of Energy's Mined Land Reclamation Division received a $22.78 million formula grant award dated November 1, 2025, under the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Program (CFDA 15.252) administered by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). This award is funded through Title IV of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which appropriated $11.293 billion to address environmental and safety hazards resulting from legacy coal mining operations. The grant supports Virginia's approved state AML reclamation program through October 31, 2030, with annual distributions of approximately $725 million distributed nationally across eligible states and tribes over a 15-year period.

Under this award, Virginia will deliver comprehensive abandoned mine land reclamation services focused on protecting public health, safety, and environmental resources within the Commonwealth's coal mining regions. Eligible activities include closing dangerous mine openings, treating acid mine drainage, restoring degraded lands and water resources to productive use, and providing safe drinking water in areas where groundwaters have been contaminated by legacy coal mining. The Virginia Department of Energy will implement these reclamation activities consistent with its approved reclamation plan, with support costs allocated for equipment, technical services, and plan amendments as necessary to address coal AML emergencies and physical hazards prioritized for remediation.