Opportunity Information: Apply for S11AS00003
Apply for S11AS00003
- The Office of Surface Mining in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Not for Profit AMD Reclamation" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.253 Not for Profit AMD Reclamation.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 28, 2011 and posted on Oct 1, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The "Not for Profit AMD Reclamation" grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number S11AS00003) was a discretionary federal funding program run by the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). Its core purpose was to help local nonprofit organizations, especially watershed groups, move beyond planning and start actual on-the-ground construction projects that clean up streams damaged by acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is the polluted runoff that can occur when water interacts with certain minerals exposed by mining, often producing acidic water that carries metals and degrades stream habitat and water quality. This program was aimed at practical reclamation and drainage abatement work that would directly improve impacted waterways.
The eligibility focus was narrow and specific: applicants had to be nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The work itself also had to fit the legal boundaries set by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act framework referenced in the announcement. In particular, funded reclamation activities had to be for lands and waters eligible under Section 404 of Public Law 95-87. In plain terms, that means the project site needed to be associated with coal mining impacts that occurred before 1977 (including areas mined for coal or affected by coal mining activities such as waste banks and coal processing), and the site could not have any ongoing legal reclamation responsibility under state or other federal laws. The announcement also notes exceptions tied to Section 411 of Public Law 95-87, reinforcing that eligibility depends on the specific regulatory status of the site and whether another party is still legally responsible for cleanup.
Awards were made as cooperative agreements, which generally indicates an arrangement where the agency expects to have substantial involvement during the project (for example, through coordination, oversight, or technical collaboration), rather than a more hands-off grant. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, reducing the financial barrier for smaller watershed organizations that might have limited access to non-federal cash match.
In terms of funding scale, the opportunity projected about 15 awards with an estimated total program funding level of $1,000,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between a floor of $5,000 and a ceiling of $100,000, suggesting the program was designed to support small to mid-sized construction or implementation actions rather than large, multi-million dollar remediation efforts. The funding activity category was listed as Environment, and the CFDA number associated with the program was 15.253 (Not for Profit AMD Reclamation).
Timing-wise, the opportunity was posted on October 1, 2010, with a closing date of September 30, 2011. It was later archived on October 30, 2011, meaning it is no longer open for applications. For historical reference and additional documentation, the announcement directed users to Grants.gov. The listed point of contact for access issues or questions about the announcement was Renata Garris at OSMRE (202-208-2747, rgarris@osmre.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Not for Profit AMD Reclamation (S11AS00003)
What is the "Not for Profit AMD Reclamation" grant opportunity?
The "Not for Profit AMD Reclamation" opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number S11AS00003) was a discretionary federal funding program administered by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). It was designed to support nonprofit-led projects that address acid mine drainage (AMD) impacts in streams and waterways through practical reclamation and drainage abatement work.
What problem was the program intended to address?
The program focused on cleaning up waterways damaged by acid mine drainage (AMD). AMD is polluted runoff that can occur when water interacts with certain minerals exposed by mining, often producing acidic water that carries metals and degrades stream habitat and water quality.
What types of organizations were the main target for this funding?
The program was intended to help local nonprofit organizations, especially watershed groups, that were ready to move beyond planning and begin on-the-ground construction projects to improve impacted waterways.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status. Institutions of higher education were specifically excluded.
Were universities or colleges allowed to apply?
No. Institutions of higher education were excluded from eligibility even if they may have nonprofit characteristics.
What kinds of projects did the program support?
The opportunity supported on-the-ground construction and implementation projects that reclaim or abate drainage problems and directly improve streams or waterways impacted by AMD, within the legal and site-eligibility boundaries referenced in the announcement.
What does "moving beyond planning" mean in the context of this program?
Based on the announcement description, the emphasis was on practical, construction-oriented or implementation actions that produce direct environmental improvements, rather than only assessments, studies, or planning efforts.
What federal law governed which sites and activities could be funded?
Funded reclamation activities had to fit the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act framework referenced in the announcement. Specifically, projects had to be for lands and waters eligible under Section 404 of Public Law 95-87, with additional considerations and exceptions tied to Section 411 of Public Law 95-87.
What did it mean for a site to be eligible under Section 404 of Public Law 95-87?
In plain terms described in the announcement, the project site needed to be associated with coal mining impacts that occurred before 1977. This includes areas mined for coal or affected by coal mining activities such as waste banks and coal processing areas.
Did the program restrict projects where another party is legally responsible for cleanup?
Yes. The announcement stated that the site could not have any ongoing legal reclamation responsibility under state or other federal laws. Eligibility depended on the regulatory status of the site and whether another party still had a legal responsibility for reclamation.
What was the role of Section 411 of Public Law 95-87 in eligibility?
The announcement noted exceptions tied to Section 411 of Public Law 95-87, reinforcing that site eligibility depends on the specific regulatory status of the site and whether another party remains legally responsible for cleanup.
What type of federal award instrument was used?
Awards were made as cooperative agreements. This generally indicates the agency expected to have substantial involvement during the project, such as coordination, oversight, or technical collaboration.
Did the grant require cost sharing or matching funds?
No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
How much funding was available through the program overall?
The opportunity projected an estimated total program funding level of $1,000,000.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The announcement projected about 15 awards.
What was the expected size of individual awards?
Individual awards were expected to range from $5,000 to $100,000.
What funding category was this opportunity listed under?
The funding activity category was listed as Environment.
What CFDA number was associated with this program?
The CFDA number associated with the program was 15.253 (Not for Profit AMD Reclamation).
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on October 1, 2010, and had a closing date of September 30, 2011.
Is this funding opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on October 30, 2011, which indicates it is no longer open for applications.
Where were applicants directed to find the official announcement and documentation?
For historical reference and additional documentation, the announcement directed users to Grants.gov.
Who was the point of contact listed for questions or access issues?
The listed point of contact was Renata Garris at OSMRE. Phone: 202-208-2747. Email: rgarris@osmre.gov.
Which federal agency administered the program?
The program was run by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE).
What was the program trying to achieve with its award size and design?
With expected awards between $5,000 and $100,000 and an emphasis on implementation, the program was structured to support small to mid-sized construction or reclamation actions rather than large, multi-million dollar remediation efforts.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Environment
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Previous opportunity: Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) Fulbright Hays Group Projects Abroad Program CFDA Number 84.021A
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