Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement September 25, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

We are reopening and extending the public comment period and will be holding two public hearings on the proposed amendment to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's approved regulatory program (the ``Pennsylvania program'') published on July 11, 2012. The comment period is being reopened and extended in order to afford the public more time to comment and to allow ample time to conduct two public hearings. This extension was requested by the Citizens Coal Council and the Environmental Integrity Project. We are also notifying the public of the date, time, and locations for the public hearing. Pennsylvania is introducing beneficial use of coal ash into the Pennsylvania statutory scheme via Pennsylvania's Solid Waste Management Act (``SWMA''), the Clean Streams Law (``CSL''), the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation Act, and the Administrative Code. Pennsylvania intends to revise its approved program pursuant to the additional flexibility afforded by the revised Federal regulations and SMCRA, as amended, to ensure Pennsylvania's proposed provision is consistent with and in accordance with SMCRA and the corresponding regulations.