Federal Appropriations Bill Contains Needed WCAP Language
by Andy McAllister, Watershed Coordinator
There’s good news to report! Your letters and emails to our federal legislators have worked. The specific language that allows the Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program (WCAP) funds to be used as match for other federal programs was re-inserted into the FY10 Federal Appropriations Bill. That bill was passed by the US House of Representatives and subsequently, by the US Senate just last week. The bill is now on its way to the White House and, barring any unforseen problems, it will be signed by the President.
For 10 years, WCAP, a source of funding for Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) projects provided though the U.S. Office of Surface Mining (OSM), has provided valuable complimentary funds for non-profits doing water treatment projects to clean up AMD. By only being available to non-profits groups, typically local watershed groups, WCAP ensures locally driven stakeholder supported projects that leverage additional monies from other federal programs. WCAP funds are made possible through the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and the annual Federal Appropriations Bill is part of the mechanism by which WCAP gets funded.
In the past, Federal Appropriations Bills contained language which expressly stated that WCAP funds could be used as matching funds for any other federal grant source however, in recent years, that hasn’t been the case. Recent Appropriations Bills did not include the explicit language necessary to allow this match. In early 2009, the Eastern Coal Regional Roundtable (ECRR), WPCAMR, and other environmental organizations in the eastern coal fields called for your help to urge our federal legislators to re-insert the missing language into the next Federal Appropriations Bill. It is your response to that call for action that alerted our legislators to the problem and the importance of the WCAP program.
To find out more about how OSM’s Watershed Cooperative Agreement Program can help you with your next Abandoned Mine Reclamation project or to apply, contact your regional OSM office or click here to view the WCAP application process in the Federal Assistance Manual.