Youngkin, Griffith announce funding for economic revitalization grant program

The Virginia Department of Energy received a fifth round of funding for the Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization program.

The agency is now taking applications for proposals.

“Economic revitalization and development is critical for southwest Virginia and I’m excited for the positive economic benefits this project will bring,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said. “My administration will always prioritize job creation, economic development, and lowering the cost of living in the Southwest and across the Commonwealth.”

“The AMLER program supports communities seeking to reclaim and redevelop properties with a mining heritage. It has become a great asset for economic development in southwest Virginia and boosted numerous innovative projects promoting renewal and opportunity,” Ninth District Congressman Morgan Griffith said. “I urge eligible entities to consider applying for support from AMLER to aid their revitalization projects.”

Virginia Energy oversees the grant which comes from the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement. The OSMRE has final approval over recommended projects. Proposed projects should have the greatest potential to achieve economic develop goals in southwest Virginia’s coalfields and be proposed on land that includes features associated with coal mining that occurred before 1977.

Virginia Energy will receive applications through April 15. Applications and information can be found via the Virginia Energy website and should be submitted electronically to Tarah Kesterson at [email protected].

“We are already seeing the job creation associated with 31 projects announced with these grant dollars over the last four years,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Caren Merrick. “There is new business and growing opportunities in the industrial, agriculture, energy sectors as well as a boost in community development due to this AMLER program.”

“We are enabling land, once thought unusable, for new purpose and community enhancement,” said Virginia Energy Director John Warren. “This includes eliminating environmental risks as these projects also remediate negative legacy effects of historic coal mining.”

Virginia Energy received the initial $10 million in 2017 and has continued to receive that amount every year since. Those looking for places to propose projects can find an AML inventory on the Virginia Energy website that lists locations and features for each site.

Virginia was one of six states chosen to receive $10 million to develop Abandoned Mine Land sites. This grant was part of the federal Omnibus Funding Bill. Projects completed with the funds will not only be designed to boost the economy of southwest Virginia’s coalfields but will also improve the environment.