The Nature’s Wonderland ecotourism site on an abandoned mine land that is now home to Elk and has several trails throughout. (Photo by Charlie Paullin/Virginia Mercury)
Southwest Virginia has been making strides to bring new life to abandoned mine sites. Millions of dollars have been invested in the region to plug the old coal mines, restore the land, and repurpose the space for economic development. Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced last week that an additional $11 million will open up another round of applications.
“Virginia thrives when every region has the resources it needs to grow,” Youngkin said in a news release. “This funding honors Southwest Virginia’s mining legacy by investing in its economic future, with projects that build infrastructure, attract new jobs, and revitalize its communities.”
Since the program began in 2017, funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act and the Inflation Reduction Act have supported efforts to convert former mine lands into industrial parks, energy projects and other infrastructure uses. In 2023, the program was awarded a record $23 million to be used over the next 15 years. There have been 50 projects since its inception.
“It’s that things like mine openings are closed off, high-walls taken down, new roads are built near the areas that were affected by mining operations, or new economic centers are built on or near what was previously mining lands,” said Richard Borean, a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Energy.
The program addresses Abandoned Mine Lands — portions of land disturbed by past mining that were never restored to their original state. That practice was banned under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
“There are thousands of acres of land impacted by mining in Virginia, with approximately 7,000 abandoned mine land features. Approximately 100,000 acres have been impacted in Southwest Virginia,” Borean said.
Virginia was one of six states in this round of funding to receive grants from the U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE). Counties with coal mine histories must demonstrate their development plans to qualify for the money.
Virginia has a long history of coal mining, with the first commercial coal field opening in Richmond in 1758. Today, only one coal field remains operational in the southwest region, with 45 active mines.
“AMLER is part of a broader strategy that combines workforce development, infrastructure investment, and entrepreneurship to drive prosperity. These funds give communities the flexibility to pursue the projects that matter most to their future,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura in a news release.
Examples of past projects that utilized this funding include the Trammel Community Revitalization in Dickenson County, site preparation for the Wise County IDA solar project, and parking and trails improvements near Devil’s Bathtub in Scott County. Applications for the latest round of funding are due Dec. 18.
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