April 1, 2025 - Nominations for the 2025 Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Awards, which recognize outstanding state and Tribal efforts to reclaim abandoned coal mines, opened today and are due to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement by June 1.

Presented in partnership with the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs, OSMRE recognizes exemplary reclamation projects that reclaim sites mined and abandoned prior to 1977. The AML Reclamation Awards are the highest honor a reclamation program can achieve.

Each year, OSMRE presents the following AML awards:

• National Award: Presented to the state or tribe with the best overall reclamation project. 
• Small Project Award: Presented to the state or tribe receiving less than $6 million annually in AML funding and completes a project costing less than $1 million.
• Regional Awards: Presented to the state or tribe with the best project within each of the following regions: Appalachian states, interior states, and western states and tribes.

Previous AML Award winners introduced or refined techniques to achieve superior results in returning abandoned mine lands to productive use. Recent award-winning projects featured reforestation techniques, geomorphic land restoration, the creation of wetlands to mitigate acid mine drainage, landslide stabilization, watershed improvement, and other strategies to improve public health and safety and environmental conditions.

For more information about the awards, eligibility, and the nomination process and requirements, visit AML Reclamation Awards. Submit nominations or questions about the awards to OSMRE at awards@osmre.gov.