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

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 Western Energy Company's Rosebud Mine Area F (Project) in southeastern Montana and by this notice is announcing the opening of the comment period. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is a co-lead on this EIS process.

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 relating to Subsidence insurance program grants.

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 relating to the Abandoned Mine Reclamation FundFee Collection and Coal Production Reporting.

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 reclamation and operation plans.

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 permits for special categories of mining.

By operation of the Congressional Review Act, the Stream Protection Rule shall be treated as if it had never taken effect. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement issues this document to effect the removal of any amendments, deletions or other modifications made by the nullified rule, and the reversion to the text of the regulations in effect immediately prior to the effective date of the Stream Protection Rule.

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 to request continued approval to collect and process citizen complaints and requests for inspection.

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 Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation Program. Additionally, we are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to eligible applicants for regulating coal mining within their jurisdictional borders under the Regulatory Program. We will award these grants during fiscal year 2018.

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 approval for the collection of information relating to Subsidence Insurance Program Grants.

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 approval for the continued collection of information for the Abandoned Mine Reclamation FundFee Collection and Coal Production Reporting and the form it implements, the OSM-1, Coal Reclamation Fee Report. This collection was previously approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned control number 1029-0063.

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 to collect information for the certification of blasters in Federal program states and on Indian lands, and the related form.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). This amendment revises the Pennsylvania 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.

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 restriction on financial interests of State employees has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and reauthorization. The information collection package was previously approved and assigned clearance number 1029-0067. This notice describes the nature of the information collection activity 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 renewed approval for the collection of information for states or Indian tribes, pursuant to an approved reclamation program, to use police powers, if necessary, to effect entry upon private lands to conduct reclamation activities or exploratory studies if the landowner's consent is refused or the landowner is not available. The collection described below 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 burdens and costs.

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Alabama Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plan (hereinafter, the Plan) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Alabama proposes revisions to modernize its Plan, which remains largely unchanged since its approval on May 20, 1982, and encompass the November 14, 2008, changes to the Federal regulations. This document gives the times and locations that the Alabama Plan and proposed amendment to that plan 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 Virginia regulatory program (the Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Through this proposed amendment, Virginia seeks to revise its program regulations to require Virginia to enter permit information into the Applicant Violator System (AVS) database upon receipt of a complete permit application and require Virginia to conduct a final compliance review between the application approval and permit issuance. This document gives the times and locations that the Virginia 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 notifying the public that we intend to prepare a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) to evaluate the impacts of alternatives relating to the San Juan Coal Company's proposed mining plan modification for the Deep Lease Extension (DLE). The EIS will analyze the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the Company's DLE mining plan modification, Federal Coal Lease NM-99144, at the existing San Juan Mine. The EIS will also analyze the effects of coal combustion at the Public Service Company of New Mexico's San Juan Generating Station (SJGS or the Generating Station). OSMRE is soliciting public comments on the proposed Project, scope of the EIS, and the significant issues that should be analyzed in the EIS.

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 approval for the collection of information for Rights of Entry.

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 to collect information for a series of customer surveys to evaluate OSMRE's performance in meeting the performance goals outlined in its annual plans developed pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) previously approved the collection and assigned it clearance number 1029-0114.

Pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance, this rule adjusts for inflation the level of civil monetary penalties assessed under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA).

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE or OSM), are revising our regulations, based on, among other things, advances in science, to improve the balance between environmental protection and the Nation's need for coal as a source of energy. This final rule will better protect water supplies, surface water and groundwater quality, streams, fish, wildlife, and related environmental values from the adverse impacts of surface coal mining operations and provide mine operators with a regulatory framework to avoid water pollution and the long-term costs associated with water treatment. We have revised our regulations to define ``material damage to the hydrologic balance outside the permit area'' and require that each permit specify the point at which adverse mining-related impacts on groundwater and surface water would reach that level of damage; collect adequate premining data about the site of the proposed mining operation and adjacent areas to establish an adequate baseline for evaluation of the impacts of mining and the effectiveness of reclamation; adjust monitoring requirements to enable timely detection and correction of any adverse trends in the quality or quantity of surface water and groundwater or the biological condition of streams; ensure protection or restoration of perennial and intermittent streams and related resources; ensure that permittees and regulatory authorities make use of advances in science and technology; ensure that land disturbed by mining operations is restored to a condition capable of supporting the uses that it was capable of supporting before mining; and update and codify the requirements and procedures for protection of threatened or endangered species and designated critical habitat. Approximately thirty percent of the final rule consists of editorial revisions and organizational changes intended to improve consistency, clarity, accuracy, and ease of use.

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 30 CFR 822 Special Permanent Program Performance StandardsOperations in Alluvial Valley Floors, has been forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and reauthorization. The information collection package was previously approved and assigned control number 1029-0049. This notice describes the nature of the information collection activity and the expected burdens.

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) announces that the final Petition Evaluation Document and Environmental Impact Statement (PED/EIS) for the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area Petition to Find Certain Lands Unsuitable for Surface Coal Mining Operations is available for public review and comment.

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 Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation Program. Additionally, we are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to eligible applicants for regulating coal mining within their jurisdictional borders under the Regulatory Program. We will award these grants during fiscal year 2017.

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 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to continue the collection of information for the Revisions; Renewals; and Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights.