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

OSMRE and the co-lead agency on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), are allowing additional time for the public to submit comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the Western Energy Company's Rosebud Mine Area F (Project). We are reopening the comment period and will accept comments received from February 20, 2018 to March 5, 2018.

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 requirements for certification and noncoal reclamation.

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 Areas Designated by Act of Congress.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing the date, time, and location of the public meeting to be held on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Western Energy Company's Rosebud Mine Area F (Project) in southeastern Montana.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving, with exceptions, an amendment to the Kentucky regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``Kentucky program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Kentucky submitted a proposed amendment to OSMRE that revises its bonding regulations to satisfy, in part, concerns OSMRE conveyed to the State pertaining to bonding inadequacies.

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 used by the regulatory authority to determine if underground coal mine applicants can comply with the applicable performance and environmental standards required by the law.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Alabama regulatory program (Alabama program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Alabama proposes revisions to its program regarding annual 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 their coal regulatory program, including the cost of reviewing, administering, inspecting, and enforcing surface coal mining permits in Alabama. This document gives the locations and times where the Alabama program documents and 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 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 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.

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 requirements for coal exploration.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Texas regulatory program (Texas program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Texas proposed revisions to its regulations regarding annual permit fees. Texas revised its program at its own initiative to raise revenues sufficient to cover its anticipated share of costs to administer the coal regulatory program and to encourage mining companies to more quickly reclaim lands and request bond release, thereby fulfilling SMCRA's purpose of assuring the reclamation of mined land as quickly as possible.

We are approving an amendment to the Kentucky regulatory program (hereinafter, the ``Kentucky program'') under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Kentucky submitted a proposed amendment to OSMRE that includes revisions to the Kentucky Revised Statutes (KRS) as authorized by House Bill 385 (HB 385), regarding bonding of surface coal mining and reclamation operations.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Indiana Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AML) Plan (Indiana Plan) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Updates to the Indiana Plan were proposed to be consistent with changes required by the 2006 amendment to SMCRA.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for Underground Mining Permit ApplicationsMinimum Requirements for Reclamation and Operation Plans.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed approval for the collection of information for the permanent program performance standardssurface mining activities and underground mining activities.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed authority for the collection of information relating to abandoned mine reclamation funds.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing that the information collection request for the requirements for surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Indian lands has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request continued approval for the collection of information which relates to a citizen's written request for a Federal inspection.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing that the information collection request for its Technical Evaluation customer surveys has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost. The OMB control number for this collection of information is 1029-0114 and is on the forms as well as the expiration date.

In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing that the information collection request for the Procedures and Criteria for Approval or Disapproval of State Program Submissions, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The information collection request describes the nature of the information collection and the expected burden and cost.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request continued approval for the collection of information associated with surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Indian lands.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the North Dakota regulatory program (North Dakota program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). North Dakota proposes numerous rule changes to the North Dakota Administrative Code for surface coal mining and reclamation operations and reclamation law changes that were made during North Dakota's 2015 Legislative Session. The law changes added a definition of ``commercial leonardite'' and excluded oxidized lignite (leonardite) from the statutory definition of ``coal.'' The law changes also added the phrase ``or commercial leonardite'' to many other sections of the reclamation law. North Dakota intends to revise its program to improve operational efficiency. This document gives the times and locations that the North Dakota program and 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 program to further define the implementation process for the reclamation of alternative bonding system (ABS) ``Legacy Sites'', and to clearly identify the current list of Legacy Sites, as well as sites that may qualify in the future as Legacy Sites. 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.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is announcing its intention to request renewed authority for the collection of information for the Form OSM-23, Restriction on financial interests of state employees and its associated regulations. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection and assigned it clearance number 1029-0067.