Federal Grant Award Summary

The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Office of Fiscal Services Division, received a $2.27 million Project Grant from the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) under the "Regulation of Surface Coal Mining and Surface Effects of Underground Coal Mining" program (CFDA 15.250) for the period January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. This grant funds the administration and enforcement of Maryland's approved regulatory program for surface coal mining operations, as authorized by Title V of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). MDE delivers comprehensive oversight services including permitting, site inspections, compliance monitoring, and regulatory enforcement activities designed to control environmental impacts of surface coal mining within the state.

The funded activities encompass all costs necessary to administer and enforce Maryland's approved regulatory program, including direct program administration, equipment, support services, and costs related to developing program amendments. Grant expenditures must comply with 2 CFR 200 regulations and be limited to activities explicitly identified in the state's approved regulatory program. Program oversight documentation and annual evaluation reports are maintained on the OSMRE website at https://www.odocs.osmre.gov. This award represents continued federal support for state-level coal mining regulatory implementation and represents one of multiple grants MDE administers through OSMRE's regulatory programs.