Opportunity Information: Apply for L17AS00135
The grant opportunity titled "BLM-CO Watershed Support Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Characterization" is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado funding effort focused on improving watershed health and reducing environmental impacts from historic mining on BLM-administered public lands. It is offered through the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, and is structured as a cooperative agreement under the Natural Resources funding activity category (CFDA 15.236). The opportunity was posted June 4, 2017, with an original closing date of August 4, 2017, and anticipated funding up to $150,000 for a single award.
The core problem the BLM is trying to address is that many of Colorado's historic mining districts contain a scattered, fragmented pattern of public land parcels, sometimes less than an acre in size, surrounded by private property. This patchwork makes assessment and cleanup more complicated, especially where legacy mine features and waste materials continue to affect water quality, soils, and habitat conditions. The BLM notes that these public lands are important for Colorado's quality of life and support a range of uses and values across landscapes that include alpine tundra, canyon and mesa country, and sagebrush hills, as well as nationally designated conservation units such as national conservation areas, wilderness study areas, wilderness areas, trails, and monuments.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is sustaining and building on prior reclamation successes in the Sugarloaf historic mining district near Leadville, especially the Tiger Mine cleanup. That reclamation work included removing a mine waste rock pile and stabilizing an adit along with the drainage below it. According to the description, the project produced measurable environmental benefits, including improved water quality and a meaningful boost to fisheries on the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River. Because high-elevation Colorado sites face extreme winter conditions and intense spring runoff, the BLM's Royal Gorge Field Office is seeking a partner (referred to as a cooperator) to help ensure that reclamation measures in the Tiger Mine area continue to hold up and function as intended under those harsh seasonal conditions.
Beyond the Tiger Mine area, the BLM also intends to expand the partnership work into additional historic mining regions. Specifically, the grant supports evaluation, site research, and characterization of BLM public lands affected by historic mining in and around Central City in Gilpin County as well as mining districts in Boulder County. In practical terms, this means the selected partner would be expected to help investigate and document mining-related impacts on public lands, develop a clearer understanding of site conditions and risks, and support the groundwork needed to prioritize or design future remediation actions. The opportunity also highlights that these efforts are inherently collaborative and involve coordination with multiple stakeholder groups, including private landowners, state and local governments, and local residents, with an emphasis on both remediation-related cooperation and education efforts.Apply for L17AS00135
- The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "BLM-CO Watershed Support Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Characterization" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.236.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 04, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 04, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the "BLM-CO Watershed Support Abandoned Mine Reclamation and Characterization" grant?
This is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Colorado funding opportunity focused on improving watershed health and reducing environmental impacts from historic mining on BLM-administered public lands in Colorado. The work centers on abandoned mine reclamation support and on evaluating and documenting mining-related impacts to inform future cleanup priorities.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered through the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), specifically within Colorado.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected partner (described as a cooperator) is expected to work closely with BLM and other stakeholders to carry out the project objectives.
What is the funding activity category and CFDA number?
The funding activity category is Natural Resources. The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 15.236.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on June 4, 2017. The original closing date was August 4, 2017.
How much funding is available and how many awards are anticipated?
The anticipated funding amount is up to $150,000, and the opportunity anticipates a single award.
What problem is BLM trying to solve through this grant?
BLM is addressing ongoing environmental impacts from historic mining in Colorado, especially where legacy mine features and mine waste continue to affect water quality, soils, and habitat conditions. A key challenge described is the scattered and fragmented pattern of BLM public land parcels in historic mining districts, sometimes less than an acre in size and surrounded by private property, which makes assessment and cleanup more complicated.
Why does land fragmentation matter for mine cleanup and watershed work?
According to the opportunity description, historic mining areas can include a patchwork of small BLM parcels interspersed with private land. That pattern increases logistical and coordination challenges for site assessment, characterization, and reclamation, since impacts and mine features do not necessarily align neatly with property boundaries.
What kinds of landscapes and public values does BLM highlight as being affected?
The opportunity notes that BLM public lands support Colorado's quality of life and a broad range of uses and values across landscapes that include alpine tundra, canyon and mesa country, and sagebrush hills. It also references nationally designated conservation units such as national conservation areas, wilderness study areas, wilderness areas, trails, and monuments.
What is the Sugarloaf historic mining district and why is it emphasized?
The grant places major emphasis on sustaining and building on prior reclamation successes in the Sugarloaf historic mining district near Leadville, with particular attention to the Tiger Mine cleanup area.
What work was completed at the Tiger Mine that this project builds on?
The description states that the Tiger Mine reclamation included removal of a mine waste rock pile and stabilization of an adit, along with stabilizing the drainage below the adit.
What environmental benefits were reported from the Tiger Mine reclamation?
BLM reports measurable environmental benefits from that work, including improved water quality and a meaningful boost to fisheries on the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River.
Why is ongoing support needed at the Tiger Mine site?
The opportunity explains that high-elevation Colorado sites experience extreme winter conditions and intense spring runoff. Because of those harsh seasonal conditions, BLM's Royal Gorge Field Office is seeking a partner to help ensure the Tiger Mine area reclamation measures continue to hold up and function as intended.
Which BLM office is associated with the Tiger Mine focus area?
The opportunity specifically mentions BLM's Royal Gorge Field Office in connection with the need for continued performance of reclamation measures at the Tiger Mine area.
Does the grant only cover the Tiger Mine area?
No. While sustaining the Tiger Mine reclamation is a major emphasis, the opportunity also supports expanding partnership work into additional historic mining regions in Colorado.
What additional locations are included beyond the Tiger Mine area?
The grant supports evaluation, site research, and characterization of BLM public lands affected by historic mining in and around Central City in Gilpin County, as well as mining districts in Boulder County.
What does "evaluation, site research, and characterization" mean in this opportunity?
Based on the description, it means investigating and documenting mining-related impacts on BLM public lands, developing a clearer understanding of site conditions and risks, and supporting groundwork needed to prioritize or design future remediation actions.
Is the purpose of the characterization work to plan future cleanups?
Yes. The opportunity frames characterization as foundational work that improves understanding of conditions and risks and supports the steps needed to prioritize and/or design future remediation actions.
Who is expected to be involved besides BLM and the selected partner?
The opportunity emphasizes that the work is inherently collaborative and involves coordination with multiple stakeholder groups, including private landowners, state and local governments, and local residents.
What kinds of collaboration are highlighted?
The description calls out both remediation-related cooperation and education efforts, implying the partner will help support coordination and communication around cleanup needs, site issues, and stakeholder engagement.
Why are private landowners specifically mentioned?
Private landowners are mentioned because many historic mining districts include a fragmented pattern of small public parcels surrounded by private property. That situation makes coordination important for assessment and reclamation activities in and around impacted areas.
What overall outcomes is BLM seeking through this cooperative agreement?
From the information provided, the intended outcomes include improved watershed health, reduced environmental impacts from historic mining on BLM-administered lands, sustained performance of prior reclamation work (especially at the Tiger Mine area), and better-documented site conditions that can guide future remediation priorities in other mining-impacted regions.
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