WASHINGTON – As part of its efforts to combat legacy coal mining pollution and create healthier communities, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement is making approximately $1.3 million available for Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program (WCAP) grants to allow non-profit organizations to undertake acid mine drainage remediation projects.
complete local acid mine drainage
reclamation projects such as this
one to remediate drainage into the
Kittle Hollow Basin and Roaring
Creek. Photo courtesy of Save the
Tygart Watershed Association.
“Healthy watersheds are essential for communities, supplying water for municipal, industrial, agricultural and recreational uses,” said OSMRE Principal Deputy Director Sharon Buccino. “WCAP funds help restore watersheds that have been negatively impacted by abandoned mine lands and support citizen-based conservation in coal communities.”
These investments promote healthy watersheds that support clean drinking water, productive fisheries, and outdoor recreation, and ultimately provide a positive impact for local economies, the environment, and the overall quality of life for local residents.
WCAP grants are capped at $100,000 per project to complete local acid mine drainage remediation projects. Projects can include installation of passive or active water treatment systems, including repairs and renovations. Projects can also include reclamation of lands that are contributing sediment or acid forming materials to streams.
Non-profit watershed restoration groups and other non-profit organizations are invited to submit proposals for Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program grants to restore the health of local streams and provide community recreational opportunities. Applications are due by 5 p.m. EST on May 1.
To be eligible for WCAP grants, applicants must be a not-for-profit organization, including minority-serving institutions, that is tax exempt under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code B. Organizations are encouraged to have partners contributing either funds or in-kind services to the project.
For more information about the WCAP grants and to apply for financial assistance, visit Grants.gov.
For examples of WCAP funded projects, visit https://www.osmre.gov/programs/watersheds.
– OSMRE –
OSMRE carries out the requirements of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 in cooperation with states and Tribes. OSMRE’s objectives are to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in a manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining, to ensure that the land is restored to beneficial use after mining, and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing reclamation of abandoned coal mines. For more information, visit www.osmre.gov or connect with us through any of these social media channels: Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.