$2.8 million in federal money to clean up abandoned coal mines that were shut down before 1977 but continue to pose hazards.
The Interior Department will administer the grant money to New Mexico over a three-year period to remediate derelict mines that were discontinued before federal regulation of coal mining began 45 years ago.
“Mine reclamation brings lands impacted by mining back to beneficial use for the safety of all New Mexicans,” Jerry Schoeppner, director of the state Mining and Minerals Division, wrote in an email. Abandoned mines “have been identified as a widespread problem in coal-producing states such as New Mexico, presenting a threat to the public and environment.”
The money will help the state complete a more comprehensive inventory of abandoned coal mines and carry out additional projects, such as safeguarding mine sites, preventing coal fires and fixing areas where sinking ground can affect structures, utilities and roads, Schoeppner wrote.
As examples, the state will look into how to reduce the risk of coal fires at old mines sites in the Gallup region and how to address stormwater flooding at Madrid’s abandoned mines, he wrote.
Coal fires and sinking ground, known as subsidence, can pose hazards long after the original mine entrances are closed.
The grant money comes from a coal-production fee Congress extended for 13 years under the recently passed infrastructure law. That cleanup fee was created after the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act was adopted in 1977, Schoeppner wrote, adding the current funding will pay for cleanup at mines that preceded the law.
“Addressing legacy abandoned mines will protect the environment and benefit New Mexicans for years to come,” state Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Secretary Sarah Cottrell Propst said in a statement.
The $2.8 million, for fiscal year 2023, is just the start, Schoeppner wrote.
New Mexico officials expect $3 million a year after that, plus an additional $2.4 million per year for 15 years. That’s not counting the $11.3 billion in federal infrastructure money for mine reclamation going to states and tribes based on historic coal production.
“Mining a variety of minerals is important to our nation’s economy,” Schoeppner wrote.”And it is important that we do it in a responsible manner that leaves as little of a mark as possible on our beautiful landscapes.”