Summary: The PA DEP Bureau of Abandoned Mine Reclamation (BAMR) is the primary state agency responsible for AML reclamation and AMD treatment in Pennsylvania. BAMR administers the federal AML grant program, the AML/AMD Grant Program for eligible applicants, and the AMLER (Abandoned Mine Land Economic Revitalization) Program. For watershed organizations doing AML/AMD work in Pennsylvania, BAMR is the essential state program contact for project funding, permitting, and regulatory questions.
What BAMR Does #
- Administers Pennsylvania’s AML Reclamation Program under Title IV of SMCRA
- Administers the AML/AMD Grant Program — the primary grant mechanism for community AMD treatment projects
- Administers AMLER funding for AML reclamation with economic development connections
- Reclaims priority AML sites including dangerous highwalls, unstable embankments, open mine portals, and clogged streams
- Issues Authorizations to Proceed (ATP) required before construction on AML/AMD projects
- Maintains field offices including the Wilkes-Barre Field Office serving northeastern PA
The AML/AMD Grant Program #
The 2026 AML and AMD Grant Program Guidance (BAMR) is the primary reference for organizations applying for project funding. Key requirements include: landowner consent before project work commences, Authorization to Proceed (ATP) from OSMRE before construction, and documentation that project sites are listed in federal or state AML inventory systems. Applicants must be eligible under SMCRA — contact your county conservation district or DEP regional office with questions about eligibility.
Current program guidance: https://files.dep.state.pa.us/Mining/
How to Connect #
Website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dep/programs-and-services/mining/abandoned-mine-reclamation
Wilkes-Barre Field Office: serves northeastern Pennsylvania
Harrisburg (Dauphin County): main program office
When to Contact BAMR #
- Applying for AML/AMD grant funding — program guidance, eligibility questions, application process
- Questions about AML inventory, site priority classification, or project eligibility
- Authorization to Proceed (ATP) for construction projects
- Emergency AML reclamation situations
- Questions about AMLER program funding and project development
Related Pages #
- How AML Funding and Perpetuity Works (Policy and Governance)
- OSMRE and the Federal AML Program
- PA Association of Conservation Districts (PACD)
- Where to Get Help
Source and Last Reviewed: pa.gov/agencies/dep; PA DEP 2026 AML/AMD Grant Program Guidance; OSMRE program documentation. Last reviewed: 2026-03. Program funding levels and application requirements change — verify current guidance directly with BAMR.
Tags: policy, funding, practitioner, program-manager, aml, amd, pa
