Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 2020 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (hereinafter, the Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Pennsylvania is requesting to make changes to its regulations addressing four required amendments, one part not previously approved, and several program revisions submitted. The proposed amendment includes, but is not limited to, augmented seeding, bonding, haul roads, effluent limitations for bituminous underground mines, temporary cessation, definition of Surface Mining Activities, civil penalties, administrative requirements, and Employee Financial Interest Reporting Form, as well as other administrative updates and corrections. This document gives the times and locations that the Pennsylvania program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Montana Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Plan (Montana Plan) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The State submitted this proposal in response to OSMRE's request to update the Montana Plan. Montana also seeks to make changes that will improve the Plan's readability and operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the Montana Plan and this proposed amendment to that Plan are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving, with one exception, an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). We are approving regulatory changes that involve the elimination of manganese from the list of pollutants tested for mining discharges when certain weather conditions exist. We are also approving statutory and regulatory changes, with one exception, that involve the treatment of post-mining pollutional discharges on regulated coal mining sites and include provisions involving passive treatment technologies and alternate effluent limitations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the existing West Virginia Federal Lands Cooperative Agreement. Section 523(c) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act) and the Federal regulations authorize a State with an approved permanent regulatory program to enter into an agreement for the State regulation and control of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands. West Virginia's existing cooperative agreement was adopted in February of 1984, between the State and the Secretary of the Interior (the Secretary), to allow the State administration of SMCRA on Federal lands within West Virginia under its approved permanent regulatory program (the West Virginia program). Since several years have passed since the original agreement was adopted, West Virginia is now proposing to amend the existing cooperative agreement to reflect the current statutory schemes, regulatory requirements, and agency responsibilities associated with the regulation of coal mining and reclamation activities on Federal lands. Additionally, the revised cooperative agreement would grant the State the authority to regulate all coal exploration activities on Federal lands, and would delegate the primary responsibility to review and approve coal mining permits involving federally and privately owned coal. This document gives the times and locations that the West Virginia program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are issuing a final rule to the West Virginia regulatory program (the West Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Our decision approves, with certain exceptions and understandings, an amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program. West Virginia revised its Code of State Regulations (CSR) and the West Virginia Code, as contained in Committee Substitutes for Senate Bills 373 and 751. Additionally, on June 16, 2008, OSMRE also announced in a separate Federal Register document, its interim approval of the State's alternative bonding provisions of the West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (WVSCMRA) that specifically relate to the special reclamation tax and the creation of the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund.

Pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (2015 Act), which further amended the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (1990 Act), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, this rule adjusts for inflation the level of civil monetary penalties assessed under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA).

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Illinois regulatory program (Illinois program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Illinois proposes revisions to its statute and regulations, including allowing the extraction of coal as an incidental part of a government-financed construction project, revising its Ownership and Control rules, and clarifying land use changes requiring a significant permit revision. Illinois intends to revise its program to be as effective as the Federal regulations.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Ohio (hereinafter, the Ohio program) regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Ohio's proposed amendment is prompted by requirements within the Ohio statute that all agencies must review their administrative rules every five years. Consistent with this requirement, the Ohio Reclamation Commission, (the Commission), proposes an amendment to its procedural rules in order to ensure an orderly, efficient, and effective appeals process. This document gives the times and locations that the Ohio program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Kentucky regulatory program (hereinafter, Kentucky program), under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this program amendment, Kentucky seeks changes to its administrative regulations that involve definitions pertaining to bond and insurance requirements. This document gives the times and locations that the Kentucky program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are proposing to renew an information collection.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program (hereinafter the West Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The statutory provisions involve the method in which permit applications are advertised. The regulatory provisions involve non- substantive revisions to definitions, reclamation, environmental security account for water quality, water quality enhancement, and modifying sections on incremental bonding, requirement to release bonds, forfeiture of bonds, and effluent limitations. This document gives the times and locations that the West Virginia program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (hereinafter, the Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Pennsylvania is requesting to adopt changes to its regulations related to blaster's licenses and storage, handling and use of explosives. The proposed changes would update the regulations based on current industry best practices and include blasting requirements related to seismic exploration. This document gives the times and locations that the Pennsylvania program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to eligible applicants for purposes authorized under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) Title IV Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation Program and Title V Regulatory Program. We will award these grants during fiscal year 2020.