DEP Invests $15.2 Million In Federal Fund To Support 15 Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Projects In 11 Counties; Next Grant Round Opens April 1

On March 12, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it has invested $15.2 million in the environmental restoration of 15 abandoned mine land (AML) projects in 11 counties as part of the federally-funded Abandoned Mine Land and Abandoned Mine Drainage Grant Program.

The 15 projects are located in Blair, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Fayette, Schuylkill, Somerset and Washington counties.

“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 under Pennsylvania’s federally funded Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program, funded in part by the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA), which has invested more than $700 million into reclaiming Pennsylvania’s AML since 2022. 

In addition to planned projects, this funding also pays for emergency situations like subsidence and sinkholes that can endanger people and damage or destroy homes and property.

Through the Grant Program, DEP prioritizes funding to address serious human health and safety problems resulting from abandoned coal mines, as well as treating abandoned mine drainage (AMD) to continue watershed restoration efforts under the AMD Set-Aside Program and prevent the loss of restored streams.

Federal Funding Cut

This funding was put at risk last February when the Trump Administration unconstitutionally froze $1.2 million in Congressionally-appropriated federal funding, including IIJA funding to support Pennsylvania-based initiatives like this one. 

Governor Shapiro took legal action, suing the Trump Administration – and winning – to ensure this funding kept flowing. 

[In January, Congress did cut abandoned mine reclamation funding which resulted in Pennsylvania losing $169 million in previously committed funding. Read more here.

[Congress also cut federal oil and gas well plugging funding which resulted in Pennsylvania losing approximately $24 million. Read more here.]

Click Here for a list of funded projects and DEP’s announcement..

Next Grant Round

On April 1 DEP will begin accepting applications for the next round of Abandoned Mine Land and Abandoned Mine Drainage Grants. The deadline for applications is May 29.

The final application period for these grants will open October 5 and end November 30.

Visit DEP’s Abandoned Mine Land and Abandoned Mine Drainage Grants webpage for all the details.

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.

Related Articles This Week:

-- DEP Invests $15.2 Million In Federal Fund To Support 15 Local Abandoned Mine Reclamation Projects In 11 Counties; Next Grant Round Opens April 1  [PaEN]

-- DEP Citizens Advisory Council Invites Comments On DEP's Act 54 Report Documenting Adverse Impacts Of Longwall And Underground Coal Mining On Structures, Surface And Ground Water; Report Says 20% Of Undermined Streams Damaged  [PaEN]  

-- Sen. Yaw Highlights Pennsylvania’s Leadership, Regional Progress in 2025 Chesapeake Bay Commission Annual Report  [PaEN]  

-- DEP Briefing: Proposed Changes To Biosolids Permits To Reduce Risks From PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Phosphorus Pollution, Improper Storage, Set More Robust Testing Standards [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Center For Agricultural Conservation Assistance Training Hosts April 16 Webinar On Cover Crops And Conservation  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension April 28 Webinar On Practical Strategies To Mitigate Concentrated Water Flow And Strengthen The Effectiveness Of Riparian Buffers  [PaEN] 

-- Penn State Extension March 30 Webinar: Managing Landscapes For Bumble Bees,  8:00 to 9:30 a.m.

-- Chesapeake Bay Foundation Now Accepting Entries For The Save The Bay Photo Contest  [PaEN]

NewsClips:

-- Post-Gazette: EPA Cleanup Of Toxic Waste On Abandoned Bologna Coal Company Site May Delay 730-Acre Solar Energy Facility In Jefferson Twp., Washington County; Public Meeting March 11 

-- US Fish & Wildlife Service: Restoring Yellow Creek In Bedford County - Conservation For Wildlife, Water And Communities

-- WHYY: Philadelphia Officials Announce New Funding For Cobbs Creek Restoration Project

-- Inquirer - Frank Kummer: Philly To Spend $9 Million To Restore Streams At Cobbs Creek Golf Course To Stem Flooding

-- Lancaster Farming: Penn State Study - Biochar Boosts Soil Water Retention

-- TribLive: NFL Draft Sustainability Plan Calls For Tree Planting, Food Recovery In Pittsburgh

-- Morning Call/Spotlight PA: Berks County Warehouse Purchased By President’s ICE For Immigrant Detention Center Has Years Of Unresolved Construction Problems, Records Show 

-- Oilprice.com: America’s Abandoned Coal Mine Pools Could Become Giant Underground Batteries Using Pumped Hydro Technology

-- The Telegraphy Guest Essay: Abandoned Pennsylvania Mines And Waste-Heat Recycling Could Make The State’s Massive New A.I. Data Centers Far More Sustainable - By Wangda Zuo, Professor Of Architectural Engineering, Penn State

-- Wall Street Journal Letter: Abandoned Mines Can Become Data Centers - By Steve Gardner, P.E., former President, American Institute Of Mining, Metallurgical & Petroleum Engineers

[Posted: March 12, 2026]  PA Environment Digest