OSMRE Announces Nearly $6 Million to Revitalize Coal Communities in Iowa

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement today announced nearly $6 million in fiscal year 2023 funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create good-paying jobs and catalyze economic opportunity by reclaiming abandoned mine lands (AML) in Iowa.

Millions of Americans nationwide live less than a mile from an abandoned coal mine. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated a total of $16 billion to address legacy pollution, including $11.3 billion in abandoned mine land funding over 15 years, facilitated by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement. This historic funding is expected to address the majority of currently inventoried abandoned coal mine lands in the nation, which will help communities address and eliminate dangerous environmental conditions and pollution caused by historic coal mining. Today’s announcement builds on nearly $6 million allocated to the state of Iowa in fiscal year 2022.

“Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we have this once-in-a-generation investment and opportunity to finally address the majority of currently known abandoned mine land problems,” said Bill Joseph, acting OSMRE regional director. “The reclamation landscape of tomorrow presents endless opportunities to revitalize coal communities as our country transitions to cleaner forms of energy.”

AML reclamation supports jobs in coal communities by investing in projects that close dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining. It also enables economic revitalization by reclaiming hazardous land for recreational facilities and other economic redevelopment uses, such as advanced manufacturing and renewable energy deployment. As directed by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, funding will prioritize projects that employ dislocated coal industry workers.

This funding is a part of the Biden-Harris administration’s unprecedented investments in communities and workers to support an equitable transition to a sustainable economy and healthier environment after the closure of mines or power plants. This effort also advances the President’s Justice40 Initiative that commits to delivering 40 percent of the benefits of certain climate and clean energy investments to disadvantaged communities.

Source: osmre.gov

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