Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Status: Preliminary OSM approval (4/10/24)
Location: Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Requested AMLER Funding: $6.71 million
Additional Funding: $250,000 from Hanover Township, $250,000 from the Hanover Area School
District, $22,000 from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and $22,000
from Earth Conservancy, plus $1.2 million in value of land to be donated
AML Site Info: Priority 1, 2, and 3 previously reclaimed
Project Partners: Hanover Township, Hanover Area School District, Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, Earth Conservancy
Update: Project added since the previous AMLER report
This project involves the reclamation of 30 acres of abandoned mine land and developing the site
into a regional recreation area. The project team will construct three 225-by-360-foot multi-use
playing fields, an ADA-compliant sensory playground, 1.6 miles of ADA-accessible outdoor
walking and fitness trails, and a central parking area. In a future phase, the team plans to construct a
102,000-square-foot indoor facility that will feature community resources, including a 656-foot
walking track, three play courts, community rooms, and healthcare offices. Once complete, project
partners expect the site will create jobs and attract visitors to the area.
Program Objective
The Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program supports economic and community development projects and is an opportunity for States/Tribes to return areas impacted by coal mining to productive reuse.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
The AMLER Program is restricted to Tribes with AML Programs and the six Appalachian States with the highest amount of inventoried priority coal problems as described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 403(a) of SMCRA, as amended.
Beneficiaries
- U.S. State Government
- Federally Recognized Tribal Government
State, Local Citizens and the general public are protected from physical hazards and benefit from the reclamation of abandoned mine lands and polluted waters by reducing exposure to safety and health risks.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
Each State/Tribal AML Program is responsible for soliciting, selecting, developing, and approving
eligible AMLER projects funded exclusively from AMLER payments. OSMRE encourages States and Tribes to ensure that each AMLER project includes a description of how, when, where, and for what reclamation, economic development, or community development purposes AMLER funds will be used. States/Tribes should ensure that project proposals include summary level information about the project’s purpose, cost, partnerships and/or leveraged funds (if applicable), and the expected
economic benefits that lead to the project’s selection. The State/Tribe should also ensure that project proposals include information about any intended subrecipient of AMLER payments. Eligible subrecipients are typically limited to State, Tribal, and local governments, economic development organizations, local communities, and non-government organizations. These subrecipients may
subcontract project-related activities. Any person or entity that is in violation of SMCRA, at the time of contract award, is not eligible for AMLER funding. State/Tribal AML Programs are encouraged to work with their local economic development authorities and local communities on AMLER project proposals. AMLER projects funded exclusively from AMLER payments are not subject to OSMRE preliminary vetting, NEPA review, or issuance of an
Authorization to Proceed (ATP).
Decision Timeline
- Approval: From 30 to 60 days
Project Vetting Process: OSM reviews projects selected by the state/tribe to assist with and verify
project eligibility. It involves coordination with the state/tribe and OSM field, regional, and
headquarters offices to resolve questions and potential issues at an early stage that could impact
project progress.
Program details & compliance
Description
Congress has appropriated funding for the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program (previously known as the AML Pilot Program) on an annual basis since Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. The intent of the program is to explore and implement strategies that return legacy coal mining sites to productive uses through economic and community development. The AMLER Program supports local investment opportunities that provide for sustainable long-term rehabilitation of coalfield economies. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) administers the AMLER Program and provides eligible states and tribes with AMLER funds and guidance on project eligibility criteria and reporting requirements.
Mission Categories
Primary: Economic Development
Other categories:
Water Pollution ControlAir Pollution ControlMineralsCommunity Water Supply
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
FY 2025 AMLER funds are being provided to AMLER States and Tribes as payments. In this context,
payments differ from the grants that were issued for the AMLER Program before FY 2024. For FY
2025, eligible States and Tribes will need to comply with some, but not all, of the Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. In particular, eligible
States and Tribes will need to comply with 2 C.F.R. §§ 200.0 – 200.1, 200.100 – 200.113, 200.303,
200.331 - 200.333, 200.500 – 200.521.
In addition, any interest earned on FY 2025 AMLER payments must be remitted to OSMRE for
inclusion in the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund (AML Fund). See U.S. General Accounting Office
Guidance for Project Eligibility Under the FY 2025 AMLER Program Page 3 of 5
(GAO), GAO-06-382SP, Principles of Federal Appropriations Law 10-79 (2006) (GAO Red Book); see
also 1 Comp. Gen. 652 (1922).
States, Tribes, and local communities have the flexibility to use AMLER funds for both the reclamation
of impacted lands and waters and brick and mortar needs related to the end-use development project.
The AMLER Program offers maximum flexibility in this regard, letting States, Tribes, and local
communities balance the needs of an individual project with the ability to fund other priority AMLER
projects.
Where additional resources may help expand a project’s scope or outcome, States, Tribes, and local
communities should consider whether a model similar to the Appalachian Regional Commission grants
process could streamline project selection, and whether an interagency agreement or other contracting
mechanisms could streamline program implementation. Matching funds are not required for AMLER
projects, but State and Tribal programs can use other public and private resources, including
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) or AML-fee based funds as appropriate, or to provide in-kind contributions in combination with AMLER funds. States and Tribes are responsible for tracking and
monitoring the FY 2025 AMLER payment and any other additional funding source(s) for the project.
Restrictions
AMLER: Use restrictions are outlined in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Pub. L. No. 119-4), on June 4, 2025Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Public Law 116-260)
Required Documentation
Pursuant to the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (Pub. L. No. 119-4), the
Department of the Interior’s (DOI) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
has made $130 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization
(AMLER) Program funding available as payments to certain States and federally recognized Indian
tribes with approved reclamation plans under section 405 of the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) for economic and community development in conjunction with the
priorities described in section 403(a) of SMCRA. Of the $130 million available, $86,000,000 will be
divided equally and distributed to the three Appalachian States with the greatest amount of unfunded
Priority 1 and Priority 2 AML problems as delineated in OSMRE’s AML inventory data as of September
30, 2024, while $33,000,000 will be divided equally and distributed to the three Appalachian States with
the subsequent greatest amount of unfunded Priority 1 and Priority 2 AML problems. Accordingly,
$86,000,000 will be distributed in equal amounts among Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia
($28.667 million each), while $33,000,000 will be distributed in equal amounts among Alabama, Ohio,
and Virginia ($11 million each). In addition, each of the three Tribes with approved AML reclamation
plans, the Hopi Tribe, Crow Tribe, and Navajo Nation, will receive an equal portion of $11 million
($3.667 million each).
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements