Abandoned Mine Land Revitalization Challenges

Congress appropriated nearly $1 billion from fiscal year 2016 to fiscal year 2023 for the Department of the Interior's Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization (AMLER) program for six states and three Tribes. The AMLER program aims to aid communities impacted by abandoned mine land. But program participants have only spent about 29% of these funds due to challenges, such as how long the agency takes to review projects. Our recommendations address this and other issues.