The WVDEP's Office of Abandoned Mine Lands and Reclamation (AML) administers federal funding for economic development projects on abandoned mine ands through its AMLER Program.
This program helps projects located on or adjacent to mine sites that ceased operations prior to the signing of the Surface Mine Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) on Aug. 3, 1977.
All projects must receive final approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation, and Enforcement (OSMRE).
An advisory committee comprised of representatives from the WVDEP, state Departments of Commerce, Tourism, and Transportation, and the Governor's Office, is responsible for determining project eligibility and advancing recommended projects to OSMRE.