Opportunity Overview
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation is accepting 2026 Round 2 applications for financial-assistance subawards supporting abandoned coal mine reclamation, abandoned mine drainage abatement, and treatment facilities. This is a competitive grant to eligible local public entities and incorporated nonprofit environmental organizations, not a government procurement bid.
Eligibility and Critical Pre-Application Requirement
Eligible applicants include Pennsylvania counties or municipalities, county conservation districts, councils of governments, municipal authorities, and appropriate incorporated nonprofits such as watershed associations and environmental conservation organizations. The proposed project must have a site and plan identified, be recognized as eligible in state and federal abandoned mine inventories, and generally concern coal mining abandoned before August 3, 1977. Crucially, the 2026 Round 2 Initial Project Consultation (IPC) had to be requested by August 21, 2026 and completed before the round opened October 5, 2026. Organizations that did not satisfy that prerequisite are ineligible for this round, notwithstanding the later application deadline.
Funding and Deadline
Round 2 accepts complete submissions from October 5 through November 30, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.; the controlling guidance does not specify a closing time zone. The official 2026 guidance identifies at least $44,000,000 for the overall Round 2 pool and at least $88,000,000 across both rounds, but does not state a universal maximum award for an individual applicant. Do not interpret the aggregate pool as an applicant award. Matching funds are not required; funds are paid on a reimbursement basis. Grant performance may not exceed three years.
Restrictions and Application
Projects solely pursuing economic revitalization or research without measurable mine-related environmental improvements are ineligible. The budget must itemize eligible costs; relevant permits and environmental or historical clearances, property-owner permissions, and for AMD projects monitoring data and an AMDTreat analysis may be required. Applicants are subject to risk scoring, 2 CFR Part 200 grant controls, and applicable Davis-Bacon and Build America Buy America rules. Submit the application and attachments through Pennsylvania’s electronic Single Application for Assistance (ESA), using the program page and official 2026 guidance for instructions.
Official program page: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/mining/abandoned-mine-reclamation/aml . Controlling program guidance: https://files.dep.state.pa.us/mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/AML_AMD_GRANT_PROGRAM_GUIDANCE.pdf . Information researched October 28, 2026. The official program webpage and guidance agree on Round 2 dates; the guidance differs from the live program page on the historic Round 1 dates, which do not affect this Round 2 listing.