Department of the Interior September 6, 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is clarifying its decision with respect to one section of an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The amendment concerned revisions to the Pennsylvania Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act (PASMCRA) and implementing regulations at 25 Pa. Code Chapters 86-90 with regard to various issues including bonding, remining and reclamation, postmining discharges, and water supply protection/replacement. We approved this amendment, with certain exceptions, in a final rule published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2005 (70 FR 25472-25491). This clarification supplements a previous finding made in Section III. OSM's Findings. However, it does not change or otherwise affect our decision made in Section V. OSM's Decision.

This proposed rule would require lessees of federal oil and gas leases in the OCS to provide information on how they will meet the requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). It identifies environmental, monitoring, and mitigation information that lessees must submit with plans for exploration and development and production. This rulemaking clarifies our regulations about what information MMS needs to ensure compliance with the ESA and MMPA requirements. The proposed rule would assure that lessees conduct their activities in a manner consistent with the provisions of the ESA and MMPA.