Pennsylvania Regulatory Program, 8495-8497 [2020-02884]
Download as PDF
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 2020 / Proposed Rules
SMCRA and its implementing
regulations.
Pennsylvania proposed this
amendment to address situations where
the underground mines or coal
preparation plants that produce coal
refuse cease operations for longer than
a year. In such situations, the sources of
the coal refuse has no time limit on the
cessation of operations, but the coal
refuse disposal area has a time limit of
one year or less. This has created
operational problems for the coal refuse
disposal sites.
The full text of the program
amendment is available for you to read
at the locations listed above under
ADDRESSES or at www.regulations.gov.
III. Public Comment Procedures
Under the provisions of 30 CFR
732.17(h), we are seeking your
comments on whether the amendment
satisfies the applicable program
approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If we
approve the amendment, it will become
part of the State program.
Electronic or Written Comments
If you submit written or electronic
comments on the proposed rule during
the 30-day comment period, they should
be specific, confined to issues pertinent
to the proposed regulations, and explain
the reason for any recommended
change(s). We appreciate any and all
comments, but those most useful and
likely to influence decisions on the final
regulations will be those that either
involve personal experience or include
citations to and analyses of SMCRA, its
legislative history, its implementing
regulations, case law, other pertinent
State or Federal laws or regulations,
technical literature, or other relevant
publications.
We cannot ensure that comments
received after the close of the comment
period (see DATES) or sent to an address
other than those listed (see ADDRESSES)
will be included in the docket for this
rulemaking and considered.
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment- including your
personal identifying information- may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:35 Feb 13, 2020
Jkt 250001
Public Hearing
If you wish to speak at the public
hearing, contact the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by
4:00 p.m., e.s.t. on March 2, 2020. If you
are disabled and need reasonable
accommodations to attend a public
hearing, contact the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We
will arrange the location and time of the
hearing with those persons requesting
the hearing. If no one requests an
opportunity to speak, we will not hold
a hearing.
To assist the transcriber and ensure an
accurate record, we request, if possible,
that each person who speaks at the
public hearing provide us with a written
copy of his or her comments. The public
hearing will continue on the specified
date until everyone scheduled to speak
has been given an opportunity to be
heard. If you are in the audience and
have not been scheduled to speak and
wish to do so, you will be allowed to
speak after those who have been
scheduled. We will end the hearing after
everyone scheduled to speak and others
present in the audience who wish to
speak, have been heard.
Public Meeting
If only one person requests an
opportunity to speak, we may hold a
public meeting rather than a public
hearing. If you wish to meet with us to
discuss the amendment, please request
a meeting by contacting the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. All such meetings are open to
the public and, if possible, we will post
notices of meetings at the locations
listed under ADDRESSES. We will make
a written summary of each meeting a
part of the administrative record.
IV. Statutory and Executive Oder
Reviews
Executive Order 12866—Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563—Improving Regulation
and Regulatory Review
Executive Order 12866 provides that
the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs in the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) will review all significant
rules. Pursuant to OMB guidance, dated
October 12, 1993, the approval of State
program amendments is exempted from
OMB review under Executive Order
12866. Executive Order 13563, which
reaffirms and supplements Executive
Order 12866, retains this exemption.
Other Laws and Executive Orders
Affecting Rulemaking
When a State submits a program
amendment to OSMRE for review, our
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
8495
regulations at 30 CFR 732.17(h) require
us to publish a notice in the Federal
Register indicating receipt of the
proposed amendment, its text or a
summary of its terms, and an
opportunity for public comment. We
conclude our review of the proposed
amendment after the close of the public
comment period and determine whether
the amendment should be approved,
approved in part, or not approved. At
that time, we will also make the
determinations and certifications
required by the various laws and
executive orders governing the
rulemaking process and include them in
the final rule.
List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938
Intergovernmental relations, Surface
mining, Underground mining.
Dated: November 13, 2019.
Thomas D. Shope,
Regional Director, North Atlantic—
Appalachian Region.
[FR Doc. 2020–02885 Filed 2–13–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement
30 CFR Part 938
[SATS No. PA–169–FOR; Docket ID: OSM–
2018–0006; S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000
201S180110; S2D2S SS08011000
SX064A000 20XS501520]
Pennsylvania Regulatory Program
Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; public comment
period and opportunity for public
hearing on proposed amendment.
AGENCY:
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
SUMMARY:
E:\FR\FM\14FEP1.SGM
14FEP1
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
8496
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 2020 / Proposed Rules
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.
DATES: We will accept written
comments on this amendment until 4:00
p.m., Eastern Standard Time (e.s.t.),
March 16, 2020. If requested, we may
hold a public hearing or meeting on the
amendment on March 10, 2020. We will
accept requests to speak at a hearing
until 4:00 p.m., e.s.t. on March 2, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by SATS No. PA–169–FOR,
Docket ID: OSM–2018–0006, by any of
the following methods:
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Ben Owens,
Field Office Director, Pittsburgh Field
Office, 3 Parkway Center South, 2nd
Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15220.
• Fax: (412) 937–2177.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: The
amendment has been assigned Docket
ID: OSM–2018–0006. If you would like
to submit comments go to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number for this rulemaking. For
detailed instructions on submitting
comments and additional information
on the rulemaking process, see the
‘‘Public Comment Procedures’’ heading
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
Docket: To access the docket to
review copies of the Pennsylvania
regulatory program, this amendment, a
listing of any scheduled public hearings
or meetings, and all written comments
received in response to this document,
you must go to the address listed below
during normal business hours, Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. You
may receive one free copy of the
amendment by contacting OSMRE’s
Pittsburgh Field Office or the full text of
the program amendment is available for
you to read at https://
www.regulations.gov.
Ben Owens, Pittsburgh Field Office
Director, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3
Parkway Center Drive South, 2nd
Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15220,
Telephone: (412) 937–2827, Email:
bowens@osmre.gov.
In addition, you may review a copy of
the amendment during regular business
hours at the following location:
Pennsylvania Department of
Environmental Protection, Bureau of
Mining Programs, Rachel Carson State
Office Building, P.O. Box 8461,
Harrisburg, PA 17105–8461.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
16:35 Feb 13, 2020
Jkt 250001
Ben
Owens, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3
Parkway Center Drive South, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone: (412)
937–2827. Email: bowens@gmail.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program
II. Description of the Proposed Amendment
III. Public Comment Procedures
IV. Statutory Orders and Executive Reviews
I. Background on the Pennsylvania
Program
Section 503(a) of the Act permits a
State to assume primacy for the
regulation of surface coal mining and
reclamation operations on non-Federal
and non-Indian lands within its borders
by demonstrating that its approved,
State program includes, among other
things, State laws and regulations that
govern surface coal mining and
reclamation operations in accordance
with the Act and consistent with the
Federal regulations. See 30 U.S.C.
1253(a)(1) and (7). On the basis of these
criteria, the Secretary of the Interior
conditionally approved the
Pennsylvania program on July 30, 1982.
You can find background information
on the Pennsylvania program, including
the Secretary’s findings, the disposition
of comments, and conditions of
approval of the Pennsylvania program
in the July 30, 1982, Federal Register
(47 FR 33050). You can also find later
actions concerning the Pennsylvania
program and program amendments at 30
CFR 938.11, 938.12, 938.13, 938.15, and
938.16.
II. Description of the Proposed
Amendment
By letter dated July 5, 2018,
(Administrative Record No. PA 902.00),
Pennsylvania sent us an amendment to
its program under SMCRA (30 U.S.C.
1201 et seq.).
The proposed amendment includes
changes to the Pennsylvania regulatory
program regulations that were adopted
by the Commonwealth on February 20,
2018, and became effective on June 23,
2018. Chapters 210 and 211, relating to
blasters’ licenses; and storage, handling
and use of explosives, were revised. The
proposed amendments update the
regulations based on current industry
best practices and include blasting
requirements related to seismic
exploration, which is fundamentally
different than most other uses of
explosives. This proposed rule also
updates explosives use requirements to
reflect current practices and eliminates
outdated requirements. The updated
requirements may result in more
consistency between the requirements
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
for construction blasting and blasting for
mining operations.
The full text of the program
amendment is available for you to read
at the locations listed above under
ADDRESSES or at www.regulations.gov.
III. Public Comment Procedures
Under the provisions of 30 CFR
732.17(h), we are seeking your
comments on whether the amendment
satisfies the applicable program
approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If we
approve the amendment, it will become
part of the State program.
Electronic or Written Comments
If you submit written or electronic
comments on the proposed rule during
the 30-day comment period, they should
be specific, confined to issues pertinent
to the proposed regulations, and explain
the reason for any recommended
change(s). We appreciate any and all
comments, but those most useful and
likely to influence decisions on the final
regulations will be those that either
involve personal experience or include
citations to and analyses of SMCRA, its
legislative history, its implementing
regulations, case law, other pertinent
State or Federal laws or regulations,
technical literature, or other relevant
publications.
We cannot ensure that comments
received after the close of the comment
period (see DATES) or sent to an address
other than those listed (see ADDRESSES)
will be included in the docket for this
rulemaking and considered.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone
number, email address, or other
personal identifying information in your
comment, you should be aware that
your entire comment including your
personal identifying information, may
be made publicly available at any time.
While you can ask us in your comment
to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we
cannot guarantee that we will be able to
do so.
Public Hearing
If you wish to speak at the public
hearing, contact the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by
4:00 p.m., e.s.t. on March 2, 2020. If you
are disabled and need reasonable
accommodations to attend a public
hearing, contact the person listed under
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We
will arrange the location and time of the
hearing with those persons requesting
the hearing. If no one requests an
opportunity to speak, we will not hold
a hearing.
E:\FR\FM\14FEP1.SGM
14FEP1
Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 31 / Friday, February 14, 2020 / Proposed Rules
To assist the transcriber and ensure an
accurate record, we request, if possible,
that each person who speaks at the
public hearing provide us with a written
copy of his or her comments. The public
hearing will continue on the specified
date until everyone scheduled to speak
has been given an opportunity to be
heard. If you are in the audience and
have not been scheduled to speak and
wish to do so, you will be allowed to
speak after those who have been
scheduled. We will end the hearing after
everyone scheduled to speak and others
present in the audience who wish to
speak, have been heard.
Public Meeting
If only one person requests an
opportunity to speak, we may hold a
public meeting rather than a public
hearing. If you wish to meet with us to
discuss the amendment, please request
a meeting by contacting the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT. All such meetings are open to
the public and, if possible, we will post
notices of meetings at the locations
listed under ADDRESSES. We will make
a written summary of each meeting a
part of the administrative record.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order
Reviews
Executive Order 12866—Regulatory
Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563—Improving Regulation
and Regulatory Review
khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with PROPOSALS
Other Laws and Executive Orders
Affecting Rulemaking
When a State submits a program
amendment to OSMRE for review, our
regulations at 30 CFR 732.17(h) require
us to publish a notice in the Federal
Register indicating receipt of the
proposed amendment, its text or a
summary of its terms, and an
opportunity for public comment. We
conclude our review of the proposed
amendment after the close of the public
comment period and determine whether
the amendment should be approved,
approved in part, or not approved. At
that time, we will also make the
determinations and certifications
required by the various laws and
16:35 Feb 13, 2020
Jkt 250001
List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938
Intergovernmental relations, Surface
mining, Underground mining.
Dated: December 6, 2019.
Thomas D. Shope,
Regional Director, North Atlantic—
Appalachian Region.
[FR Doc. 2020–02884 Filed 2–13–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement
30 CFR Part 948
[SATS No. WV–126–FOR; Docket ID: OSM–
2019–0012; S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000
201S180110; S2D2S SS08011000
SX064A000 20XS501520]
West Virginia Regulatory Program
Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; public comment
period and opportunity for public
hearing on proposed amendment.
AGENCY:
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 nonsubstantive 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.
DATES: We will accept written
comments on this amendment until 4:00
p.m., Eastern Standard Time (e.s.t.) on
March 16, 2020. If requested, we may
hold a public hearing or meeting on the
amendment on March 10, 2020. We will
SUMMARY:
Executive Order 12866 provides that
the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs in the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) will review all significant
rules. Pursuant to OMB guidance, dated
October 12, 1993, the approval of State
program amendments is exempted from
OMB review under Executive Order
12866. Executive Order 13563, which
reaffirms and supplements Executive
Order 12866, retains this exemption.
VerDate Sep<11>2014
executive orders governing the
rulemaking process and include them in
the final rule.
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
8497
accept requests to speak at a hearing
until 4:00 p.m., e.s.t. on March 2, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by SATS No. WV–126–FOR,
by any of the following methods:
• Mail/Hand Delivery: Mr. Ben
Owens, Field Office Director, Pittsburgh
Field Office, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3
Parkway Center South, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15220.
• Fax: (412) 937–2177.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: The
amendment has been assigned Docket
ID; OSM–2019–0012. If you would like
to submit comments go to https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received
must include the agency name and
docket number for this rulemaking. For
detailed instructions on submitting
comments and additional information
on the rulemaking process, see the
‘‘Public Comment Procedures’’ heading
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
section of this document.
Docket: To access the docket to
review copies of the West Virginia
program, this amendment, a listing of
any scheduled public hearing or
meetings, and all written comments
received in response to this document,
you must go to the address listed below
during normal business hours, Monday
through Friday, excluding holidays. You
may receive one free copy of the
amendment by contacting OSMRE’s
Charleston Field Office or the full text
of the program amendment is available
for you to read at https://
www.regulations.gov.
Mr. Ben Owens, Pittsburgh Field Office
Director, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3
Parkway Center South, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone:
(412) 937–2827, Email: chfo@
osmre.gov.
In addition, you may review a copy of
the amendment during regular business
hours at the following locations:
West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection, 601 57th
Street SE, Charleston, WV 25304,
Telephone: (304) 926–0490
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement, Morgantown Area
Office, 604 Cheat Road, Suite 150,
Morgantown, WV 26508, Telephone:
(304) 291–4004 (By Appointment
only)
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation
and Enforcement, Beckley Area
Office, 313 Harper Park Drive, Suite 3,
Beckley, WV 25801, Telephone: (304)
255–5265.
E:\FR\FM\14FEP1.SGM
14FEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 31 (Friday, February 14, 2020)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 8495-8497]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-02884]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
30 CFR Part 938
[SATS No. PA-169-FOR; Docket ID: OSM-2018-0006; S1D1S SS08011000
SX064A000 201S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 20XS501520]
Pennsylvania Regulatory Program
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
ACTION: Proposed rule; public comment period and opportunity for public
hearing on proposed amendment.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: 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
[[Page 8496]]
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.
DATES: We will accept written comments on this amendment until 4:00
p.m., Eastern Standard Time (e.s.t.), March 16, 2020. If requested, we
may hold a public hearing or meeting on the amendment on March 10,
2020. We will accept requests to speak at a hearing until 4:00 p.m.,
e.s.t. on March 2, 2020.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by SATS No. PA-169-FOR,
Docket ID: OSM-2018-0006, by any of the following methods:
Mail/Hand Delivery: Ben Owens, Field Office Director,
Pittsburgh Field Office, 3 Parkway Center South, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh,
PA 15220.
Fax: (412) 937-2177.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: The amendment has been
assigned Docket ID: OSM-2018-0006. If you would like to submit comments
go to https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments.
Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name
and docket number for this rulemaking. For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional information on the rulemaking
process, see the ``Public Comment Procedures'' heading of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.
Docket: To access the docket to review copies of the Pennsylvania
regulatory program, this amendment, a listing of any scheduled public
hearings or meetings, and all written comments received in response to
this document, you must go to the address listed below during normal
business hours, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. You may
receive one free copy of the amendment by contacting OSMRE's Pittsburgh
Field Office or the full text of the program amendment is available for
you to read at https://www.regulations.gov.
Ben Owens, Pittsburgh Field Office Director, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3 Parkway Center Drive South, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone: (412) 937-2827, Email:
[email protected].
In addition, you may review a copy of the amendment during regular
business hours at the following location:
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Mining
Programs, Rachel Carson State Office Building, P.O. Box 8461,
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8461.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ben Owens, Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, 3 Parkway Center Drive South, 2nd Floor,
Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone: (412) 937-2827. Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program
II. Description of the Proposed Amendment
III. Public Comment Procedures
IV. Statutory Orders and Executive Reviews
I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program
Section 503(a) of the Act permits a State to assume primacy for the
regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on non-
Federal and non-Indian lands within its borders by demonstrating that
its approved, State program includes, among other things, State laws
and regulations that govern surface coal mining and reclamation
operations in accordance with the Act and consistent with the Federal
regulations. See 30 U.S.C. 1253(a)(1) and (7). On the basis of these
criteria, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally approved the
Pennsylvania program on July 30, 1982. You can find background
information on the Pennsylvania program, including the Secretary's
findings, the disposition of comments, and conditions of approval of
the Pennsylvania program in the July 30, 1982, Federal Register (47 FR
33050). You can also find later actions concerning the Pennsylvania
program and program amendments at 30 CFR 938.11, 938.12, 938.13,
938.15, and 938.16.
II. Description of the Proposed Amendment
By letter dated July 5, 2018, (Administrative Record No. PA
902.00), Pennsylvania sent us an amendment to its program under SMCRA
(30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.).
The proposed amendment includes changes to the Pennsylvania
regulatory program regulations that were adopted by the Commonwealth on
February 20, 2018, and became effective on June 23, 2018. Chapters 210
and 211, relating to blasters' licenses; and storage, handling and use
of explosives, were revised. The proposed amendments update the
regulations based on current industry best practices and include
blasting requirements related to seismic exploration, which is
fundamentally different than most other uses of explosives. This
proposed rule also updates explosives use requirements to reflect
current practices and eliminates outdated requirements. The updated
requirements may result in more consistency between the requirements
for construction blasting and blasting for mining operations.
The full text of the program amendment is available for you to read
at the locations listed above under ADDRESSES or at
www.regulations.gov.
III. Public Comment Procedures
Under the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), we are seeking your
comments on whether the amendment satisfies the applicable program
approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If we approve the amendment, it
will become part of the State program.
Electronic or Written Comments
If you submit written or electronic comments on the proposed rule
during the 30-day comment period, they should be specific, confined to
issues pertinent to the proposed regulations, and explain the reason
for any recommended change(s). We appreciate any and all comments, but
those most useful and likely to influence decisions on the final
regulations will be those that either involve personal experience or
include citations to and analyses of SMCRA, its legislative history,
its implementing regulations, case law, other pertinent State or
Federal laws or regulations, technical literature, or other relevant
publications.
We cannot ensure that comments received after the close of the
comment period (see DATES) or sent to an address other than those
listed (see ADDRESSES) will be included in the docket for this
rulemaking and considered.
Public Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be
aware that your entire comment including your personal identifying
information, may be made publicly available at any time. While you can
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be
able to do so.
Public Hearing
If you wish to speak at the public hearing, contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4:00 p.m., e.s.t. on
March 2, 2020. If you are disabled and need reasonable accommodations
to attend a public hearing, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT. We will arrange the location and time of the
hearing with those persons requesting the hearing. If no one requests
an opportunity to speak, we will not hold a hearing.
[[Page 8497]]
To assist the transcriber and ensure an accurate record, we
request, if possible, that each person who speaks at the public hearing
provide us with a written copy of his or her comments. The public
hearing will continue on the specified date until everyone scheduled to
speak has been given an opportunity to be heard. If you are in the
audience and have not been scheduled to speak and wish to do so, you
will be allowed to speak after those who have been scheduled. We will
end the hearing after everyone scheduled to speak and others present in
the audience who wish to speak, have been heard.
Public Meeting
If only one person requests an opportunity to speak, we may hold a
public meeting rather than a public hearing. If you wish to meet with
us to discuss the amendment, please request a meeting by contacting the
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All such meetings
are open to the public and, if possible, we will post notices of
meetings at the locations listed under ADDRESSES. We will make a
written summary of each meeting a part of the administrative record.
IV. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
Executive Order 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review and Executive
Order 13563--Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review
Executive Order 12866 provides that the Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will
review all significant rules. Pursuant to OMB guidance, dated October
12, 1993, the approval of State program amendments is exempted from OMB
review under Executive Order 12866. Executive Order 13563, which
reaffirms and supplements Executive Order 12866, retains this
exemption.
Other Laws and Executive Orders Affecting Rulemaking
When a State submits a program amendment to OSMRE for review, our
regulations at 30 CFR 732.17(h) require us to publish a notice in the
Federal Register indicating receipt of the proposed amendment, its text
or a summary of its terms, and an opportunity for public comment. We
conclude our review of the proposed amendment after the close of the
public comment period and determine whether the amendment should be
approved, approved in part, or not approved. At that time, we will also
make the determinations and certifications required by the various laws
and executive orders governing the rulemaking process and include them
in the final rule.
List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938
Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.
Dated: December 6, 2019.
Thomas D. Shope,
Regional Director, North Atlantic--Appalachian Region.
[FR Doc. 2020-02884 Filed 2-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P