 Congress has allowed the Abandoned Mine Land Program to expire and advocates say nationwide on both state and tribal lands, residents face uncertainty over the future of environmental cleanup and economic recovery on lands once used to mine coal. The program was reauthorized in 2006 for 15 years, but it expired September 30th, when lawmakers failed to pass President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill. Chelsea Barnes with Appalachian Voices says the AML is the only source of revenue coal mining communities have to clean up health hazards left behind by the coal industry. You know, I think we've heard from leadership it will be passed this October, but until that happens, I think you're just going to see a lot of state and tribal agencies kind of in a holding pattern waiting to see what happens. The bipartisan infrastructure bill would reauthorize the AML program and coal severance fee at a reduced rate and includes an additional $11.3 billion for mine cleanup that supporters argue would create thousands of new jobs in coal regions. Director of Policy and Organizing at the Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Rebecca Shelton, points out that since the fund's creation, states have received a total of $6 billion in AML grants. So what we have on the table in this Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is not only a reauthorization of the fee and the fund, but an additional $11.3 billion. It's needed so much for our communities. She adds that in addition to restoring the natural landscape, reducing the odds of landslides and improving drinking water, repurposing old mine land, boost local economies. In Kentucky alone, we have over $900 million in abandoned mine land liability and these mine lands are old mine land. Experts say the full cost of reclaiming all abandoned mine sites in the nation will likely exceed $20 billion. This is Nadia Ram Lagant for Kentucky News Connection.