Beshear and State Sen. Joey Rogers announce $22 million in federal Abandoned Mine Lands grants for Eastern Kentucky communities

Gov. Andy Beshear and state Sen. Joey Rogers joined to announce $22 million in federal grants for Eastern Kentucky communities tied to the Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization program, known as AMLER. The announcement was made as part of a broader effort to direct federal recovery funding toward local redevelopment in areas affected by historic coal mining.

AMLER is a federal program intended to support economic revitalization in communities impacted by abandoned mine lands, using grant funding to help local projects address needs associated with old mining sites. In Eastern Kentucky, where legacy mining impacts remain in some areas, the state and local governments have often relied on federal, state, and partner coordination to identify projects and move them from planning to implementation.

Rogers, a veteran lawmaker who helped establish the AMLER program in Kentucky roughly a decade ago, used the announcement to mark the program’s 10-year timeline in the state. The Louisville Public Media report said the federal grants were being presented to communities as part of that continuation of the AMLER approach.

Beshear’s office has framed the AMLER work as part of Kentucky’s wider strategy for turning long-term cleanup needs into local economic opportunity. In addition to addressing abandoned mine impacts, grants under the AMLER framework are designed to support redevelopment outcomes that can affect jobs, public infrastructure, and community services.

The report did not list project-by-project details or specific grant recipients, but it described the $22 million as federal funding for Eastern Kentucky communities. The amount represents a sizable infusion of federal grant dollars that communities can use for approved redevelopment efforts linked to abandoned mine impacts, subject to federal requirements and local project timelines.

Because the grants are federal, Kentucky and participating local governments are expected to continue following applicable AMLER rules, including compliance and reporting obligations tied to grant awards. As projects progress, the grant terms will typically determine timelines for work, eligible costs, and required documentation for reimbursement and program accountability.

The announcement also underscored how state legislative advocacy and administrative coordination can align with federal grant cycles. With the federal awards now identified and publicized, the next steps for communities will be moving approved projects toward implementation, while meeting reporting and compliance requirements associated with the AMLER funding stream.