Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement December 2017 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

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 with revisions relating to abandoned mine reclamation funds.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Oklahoma regulatory program (Oklahoma program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Oklahoma proposed revisions to its regulations regarding: Permit eligibility for permits with violations on lands eligible for remining; permit suspension or rescission posting locations and appeal procedures; requiring GPS coordinates for aspects of permit maps; topsoil removal distances; blasting records requirements; annual reporting requirements; temporary cessation of operations requirements; casing and sealing temporary underground openings; right of entry requirements; surface drainage associated with auger mining; correcting reference errors; updating addresses; and correcting spelling and grammatical errors. Oklahoma intended to revise its program to be no less effective than the Federal regulations and to improve operational efficiency.

We are issuing a final decision on an amendment to the Wyoming regulatory program (the ``Wyoming program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (``SMCRA'' or ``the Act''). Our decision approves in part and disapproves in part the amendment. Wyoming proposes both revisions of and additions to its coal rules and regulations concerning ownership and control, adds a provision concerning variable topsoil depths during reclamation, and addresses four deficiencies that were identified by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) during the review of a previous program amendment (WY-038-FOR; Docket ID No. OSM-2009-0012). Wyoming revised its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations and SMCRA, clarify ambiguities, and improve operational efficiency.