The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement recently awarded Pennsylvania $29.5 million in Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) Program funds.
The program invests in coal communities in Appalachia and on tribal lands working to rebuild and redefine their local economics. Projects include commercial redevelopment, recreation, tourism, manufacturing, work-force training, and energy infrastructure.
“AMLER gives states the ability to do more than reclaim land. It gives them the ability to invest in what comes next,” Lanny Erdos, acting assistant secretary of lands and mineral management, said. “AMLER projects are creating jobs, building infrastructure, and opening doors for communities. That is what makes this program so important. It is not just about restoring land; it is about restoring opportunity for coal communities that have powered this country for decades, providing the baseload energy that has kept the lights on.”
The program has supported more than 300 projects over the past decade including the Anthracite Outdoor Adventure Area, Bear Valley Project, in Northumberland County. The project reclaimed six legacy mining hazards and constructed more than 6,600 feet of specialized rock-crawling trails designed for off-road vehicles, transforming 88 acres of abandoned mine land into a destination for outdoor recreation.