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

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Kansas Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plan (hereinafter, the Plan) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Kansas proposed revisions to modernize its Plan, which remains largely unchanged since its approval on February 1, 1982, and encompasses the November 14, 2008, changes to the Federal regulations.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Illinois regulatory program (Illinois program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Illinois proposes revisions to its regulations, including allowing the extraction of coal as an incidental part of a government-financed construction project, revising its Ownership and Control rules, and clarifying land use changes requiring a significant permit revision. Illinois intends to revise its program to be as effective as the Federal regulations. This document gives the times and locations where the Illinois program documents and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, establishes the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and describes the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Missouri regulatory program (Missouri program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). As a result of Missouri's Red Tape Reduction Initiative (Executive Order 17-03), Missouri proposes amendments and rescissions to its Missouri Coal Mining Regulations in order to reduce the volume of these regulations without reducing the program's requirements. Missouri proposes amendments to multiple sections of its regulations to incorporate by reference the corresponding Federal regulations. Missouri also proposes to rescind multiple sections of its regulations that will be incorporated by reference in the aforementioned proposed amended sections. Missouri intends these revisions to its program to remain as effective as the Federal regulations. This document gives the times and locations where the Missouri program documents and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, establishes the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and describes the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program (the West Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). On May 3, 2017, West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) submitted a program amendment to OSMRE to modify its pre- blasting survey requirements, bond release and bonding requirements, and to modify disbursements from the Water Reclamation Trust Fund. This document gives the times and locations that the West Virginia program and this proposed amendment 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.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Ohio regulatory program (the Ohio program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Ohio seeks to revise its program to require permit applications to list all unabated ``violation notices,'' as that term is defined in the approved program. This change is necessary to be consistent with the Federal regulations. This document gives the times and locations that the Ohio 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.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Pennsylvania seeks to revise its regulatory program to include statutory provisions that permit reclamation bond coverage for no cost to surface mining operators who remine and then reclaim the area with biofuel crops and establish a Land Reclamation Financial Guarantee program that provides for land reclamation financial guarantees as a form of reclamation bond. Implementing regulations are also included. This document gives the times and locations that the Pennsylvania 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.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) announces its decision to adopt the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Statement (SFEIS) for Federal Coal Lease Modifications COC-1362 and COC-67232 (including on-lease exploration plan) at the West Elk Mine located in Gunnison County, CO. In accordance with Section 102 of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (``NEPA''), the Council on Environmental Quality's (``CEQ'') regulations implementing NEPA, and other applicable authorities, OSMRE has conducted an independent review and evaluation of the USFS's SFEIS for Federal Coal Lease Modifications COC-1362 and COC-67232 (including on-lease exploration plan) at the West Elk Mine dated August 2017. As a cooperating agency with responsibility for the Federal Lands Program and the preparation of mining plan decision documents for review by the Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management (ASLM), OSMRE provided subject matter expertise to the USFS during the environmental review process. Based on its independent review and evaluation, OSMRE has determined the SFEIS, including all supporting documentation, as incorporated by reference, adequately assesses and discloses the environmental impacts for the mining plan modification, and that adoption of the 2017 SFEIS by OSMRE is authorized under 40 CFR 1506.3, Adoption. Accordingly, OSMRE adopts the 2017 SFEIS, and takes full responsibility for the scope and content that addresses the proposed mining plan modification at West Elk Mine. Documents are available on OSMRE's website: https://www.wrcc.osmre.gov/ westElkMine.shtm.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to eligible applicants for purposes authorized under the Title IV Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Program and the Title V Regulatory Program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. We will award these grants during fiscal year 2019.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which is used to identify and evaluate the training courses requested by students to enhance their job performance, to calculate the number of classes and instructors needed to complete OSMRE's technical training mission, and to estimate costs to the training program.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for permits and permit processing. This information collection also authorizes the collection of permit processing fees approved under OSMRE regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which is used to update the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement's electronic inventory of abandoned mine lands (e-AMLIS). From this inventory, the most serious problem areas are selected for reclamation through the apportionment of funds to States and Indian tribes.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which requires that each regulatory authority conduct periodic inspections of coal mining activities, and prepare and maintain inspection reports and other related documents for OSMRE and public review. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned control number 1029-0051.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information used to identify and evaluate new blaster certification programs. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned control number 1029-0080.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for land and water eligibility requirements, reclamation objectives and priorities and reclamation contractor responsibility.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which provides authority for citizens to petition States to designate lands unsuitable for surface coal mining operations, or to terminate such designation.

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 for general provisions under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for permits and permit processing. This information collection also authorizes the collection of permit processing fees approved under OSMRE regulations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which implements the requirement in Section 701(28) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). This grants an exemption from the requirements of SMCRA to operators extracting not more than 16 \2/3\ percentage tonnage of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals. This information will be used by the regulatory authorities to make that determination.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Alabama regulatory program (Alabama program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Alabama proposed revisions to its program regarding permit fees. Alabama revised its program at its own initiative to raise revenues sufficient to fund the Alabama Surface Mining Commission's (ASMC) share of costs to administer the Alabama coal regulatory program, including the reviewing, administering, inspecting, and enforcing of surface coal mining permits in Alabama.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Texas regulatory program (Texas program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Texas proposes revisions to its regulations regarding annual permit fees for calendar years 2017 and 2018. Texas also proposes to remove a restriction in its rules that conflicts with the United States Bankruptcy Code. This document gives the times and locations where the Texas program documents and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, establishes the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and describes the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.

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 for bond and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information which is used to identify and evaluate new blaster certification programs. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned control number 1029-0080.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information that provides a tool for OSMRE and the States/Indian tribes to help them prevent persons with outstanding violations from conducting further mining or AML reclamation activities in the State. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned control number 1029-0119.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as amended, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the San Juan Coal Company's (SJCC) proposed Deep Lease Extension (DLE) at the existing San Juan Mine (Project) in San Juan County, New Mexico, and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing our intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for bond and insurance requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations under regulatory programs. This information collection activity was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and assigned control number 1029-0043.