Army Department August 13, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In the July 15, 2009, issue of the Federal Register (74 FR 34311) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a proposal to take two actions concerning Nationwide Permit 21, which authorizes discharges of dredged or fill material into waters of the United States for surface coal mining activities. The two proposed actions are to suspend NWP 21 to prohibit its use to authorize surface coal mining activities in the Appalachian region of Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, and then to modify NWP 21 to make that prohibition permanent until NWP 21 expires on March 18, 2012. The July 15, 2009, notice stated that public comments and any requests for a public hearing must be received by August 14, 2009. We have received several requests to extend the comment period. We are extending the comment period to September 14, 2009.