Albuquerque Journal
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement , a branch of the U.S. Department of the Interior , presented more than $124.8 million in grants for 24 states and two tribal entities, including the Navajo Nation , to reclaim abandoned mine land.
The grants range from $8,675 to $25 million , depending on the state or tribal nation. Nearly half the states or tribal entities got about a $2.83 million grant, including New Mexico .
The Navajo Nation received $544,169 .
The funding is part of an effort to protect people's health and clean up environments damaged by past coal mining.
Millions of Americans live less than a mile from an abandoned coal mine, according to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement , because there was no regulatory oversight for operators before the U.S. passed the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act in 1977.
The grants for the federal program are partially funded by fees collected on coal produced in the U.S. , according to a Tuesday news release from the federal mining office. Those fees will continue through 2034, per the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, according to the agency.