Grants were awarded in Elk, Fayette, Indiana, Northumberland, Schuylkill, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
Pennsylvania has the largest inventory of abandoned coal mines in the nation, with a roughly $5 billion need for reclamation and stream restoration.
To date, Pennsylvania has rehabilitated approximately 159,000 acres of abandoned mine land across the Commonwealth, and with this federal funding, will be able to continue this vital work that protects the health and safety of our communities.
“Abandoned mine lands leave scars across Pennsylvania. Reclaiming these areas is an important part of the work DEP does to restore the environment and protect the communities in the Commonwealth, all while simultaneously creating jobs and bolstering the economy,” said DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley. “These grant recipients are taking on projects to pave the way for meaningful efforts in improving water quality, fostering ecosystem recovery, and revitalizing communities for a greater quality of life for Pennsylvanians.”
The funding was awarded through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act, which has invested more than $700 million into reclaiming Pennsylvania’s abandoned mine lands since 2022.
In addition to planned projects, this funding also pays for emergency situations like mine subsidence and sinkholes that can endanger people and damage or destroy homes and property.
Funding for the program was frozen by the Trump Administration in early 2025, but thanks to the efforts of Governor Josh Shapiro, grant funding has continued uninterrupted. Read more here.
These projects focus on reclaiming AML, decreasing abandoned mine drainage (AMD) and treating AMD through the construction, operation, and/or maintenance of treatment facilities.
DEP prioritizes grant funding to address serious human health and safety problems resulting from abandoned coal mines, as well as treating AMD to continue watershed restoration efforts under the AMD Set-Aside Program and prevent the loss of restored streams.
Click Here for a list of projects funded and a copy of the DEP announcement.
Apply Now For Grants
DEP is now accepting applications for the next round of local Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Drainage Treatment Grants. The deadline to apply is October 24. (formal notice)
Eligible applicants include a county or municipality, conservation district, council of government, municipal authority and nonprofit organizations. Read more here.
For more information on environmental programs in Pennsylvania, visit DEP’s website. Submit Environmental Complaints; Click Here to sign up for DEP’s newsletter; sign up for DEP’s eNotice; Like DEP on Facebook, Follow DEP on Twitter and visit DEP’s YouTube Channel.
(Photos: Little Conemaugh River in Cambria County before and after mine drainage treatment.)
Related Articles This Week:
-- DEP Now Accepting Applications For Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Grants [PaEN]
-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation: Susquehanna River Water Quality Monitoring Results 'Bright Spot' In Lackluster Progress In Reducing Chesapeake Bay Pollution [PaEN ]
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Advocates Steadfast In Trying To Heal Scarred Quittapahilla Creek In Lebanon County [PaEN]
-- DEP, Nonprofits File Consent Decree In Federal Court Requiring Beaver County Plastic Pellet Maker To Pay $2.6 Million In Penalties, Restoration Funds For Repeated Water Pollution Violations [PaEN]
-- PA Organization For Watersheds & Rivers Hosts Sept. 16 Webinar On Understanding Green Stormwater Infrastructure Implementation In Your Municipality [PaEN]
-- Water At Risk: What Is Your Township's Plan For A.I. Data Centers? Sept. 15 Hearing In Tobyhanna Twp., Monroe County - By Carol Hillestad for Brodhead Watershed Association [PaEN]
NewsClips:
-- Republican Herald: Schuylkill County Conservation District Marks 70 Years
-- Western PA Conservancy: Restoring Little Arnot Run From Severe Impacts Of Oil, Timber Industries In Warren County
-- Chesapeake Bay Program: Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Monitoring Shows Mixed Results; Susquehanna River Shows Improvement Across The Board
-- Chesapeake Bay Journal - Karl Blankenship: Acid Mine Drainage Cleanup A Worthy Goal, But Will It Help The Chesapeake Bay? [Spoiler - Yes, But Phosphorus May Increase]
-- Pittsburgh Business Times: State Announces $2.6 Million Proposed Consent Agreement Over Plastic Pollution At Closed Plant [PDF of Article]
-- PennEnvironment, Three Rivers WaterKeeper Settle Plastic Pollution Lawsuit Against Styropek USA In Beaver County
-- TribLive: Westmoreland County Townships Under DEP Sewage Consent Order Request Extension
-- Pike/Wayne Conservation Districts Host Oct. 25 Student Stream Keepers Programs In Carlton Drake Memorial Park, Wayne County
-- Pike Conservation District: Sediment - A Closer Look At PA’s #1 Water Pollutant
[Posted: September 4, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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