[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 206 (Wednesday, October 25, 1995)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 54592-54593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-26399]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Parts 902, 906, and 944


Alaska, Colorado, and Utah Regulatory Programs and Abandoned Mine 
Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plans

AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), 
Interior.

ACTION: Final rule; technical amendment.

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SUMMARY: OSM is making technical amendments to the regulations in 
programs for the conduct of surface mining operations within each 
State. Owing to an agency reorganization resulting in a change of the 
offices responsible for processing regulatory program and AMLR plan 
amendments for Alaska, Colorado, and Utah, OSM is changing the 
addresses for the locations of publicly available copies of the Alaska, 
Colorado, and Utah regulatory programs and AMLR plans. Also, OSM is 
creating a section for Colorado AMLR plan amendment approvals to 
promote consistency with the codification that OSM has used for other 
States.

EFFECTIVE DATE: October 25, 1995.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Gloria Prettiman, Branch of Environmental and Economic Analysis, OSM, 
1951 Constitution Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20240, Telephone: (202) 
208-2928.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    In accordance with 30 CFR Parts 730 through 732 and 884, OSM 
processes regulatory programs and AMLR plans, and amendments to these 
programs and plans, which are submitted by the States for OSM review 
and approval.
    OSM has reorganized and changed the offices responsible for 
processing regulatory program and AMLR plan amendments for Alaska, 
Colorado, and Utah. Previously, the Casper (Wyoming) Field Office 
processed Alaska amendments and housed the administrative record for 
them, and the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Field Office processed Colorado 
and Utah amendments and housed the administrative records for them. 
Under OSM's reorganized structure, the Western Regional Coordinating 
Center, Denver (Colorado) Field Division now processes the amendments 
for Alaska, Colorado, and Utah, and the Western Regional Coordinating 
Center, Technical Library houses the administrative records for these 
State regulatory programs and AMLR plans. Therefore, OSM is changing 
the addresses at 30 CFR 902.10, 902.20, 906.10, 906.20, 944.10, and 
944.20 to indicate that the Alaska, Colorado, and Utah regulatory 
programs and AMLR plans are available for public review in the 
Technical Library at the Western Regional Coordinating Center.
    OSM is also taking this opportunity to create 30 CFR 906.25, 
Approval of Amendments to the Colorado Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation 
Plan. Currently, 30 CFR 906.20 includes both information on OSM's 
original approval of the Colorado AMLR plan and information on an 
amendment to the plan that OSM subsequently approved. By removing the 
information on the amendment from 30 CFR 906.20 and placing it in 
newly-created 30 CFR 906.25, OSM is being consistent with the 
codification it has used for other State plans and plan amendments.

II. Procedural Matters

1. Administrative Procedure Act

    The minor revisions contained in this rulemaking are technical in 
nature. Accordingly, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(B), it has been 
determined that the notice and public comment procedures of the 
Administrative Procedure Act are unnecessary. For the same reason, it 
has been determined that, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(d), there is 
good cause to make the rule effective on the date of publication in the 
Federal Register.

2. Executive Order 12866

    This rule is exempted from review by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and 
Review).

3. Executive Order 12778

    The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required 
by section 2 of Executive Order 12778 (Civil Justice Reform) and has 
determined that this rule meets the applicable standards of subsections 
(a) and (b) of that section. This rule (1) does not preempt any State, 
Tribal, or local laws or regulations; (2) has no retroactive effect; 
and (3) does not require administrative proceedings before parties may 
file suit in court challenging its provisions.

4. National Environmental Policy Act

    This rule has been reviewed by OSM, and it has been determined to 
be categorically excluded from the National Environmental Policy Act 
(NEPA) process in accordance with the Departmental Manual (516 DM 2 
appendix 1.10) and the Council on Environmental Quality Regulations for 
Implementing the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 CFR 1507.3).

5. Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not contain information collection requirements that 
require approval by OMB under the paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 
3507 et seq.).

6. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Department of the Interior has determined that this rule will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.).

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Parts 902, 906, and 944

    Abandoned mine reclamation programs, Intergovernmental relations, 
Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: October 17, 1995.
Peter A. Rutledge,
Acting Regional Director, Western Regional Coordinating Center.

    For the reasons set forth in the preamble, Title 30, Chapter VII, 
Subchapter T of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth 
below:

PART 902--ALASKA

    1. The authority citation for Part 902 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.

    2. Section 902.10 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:

[[Page 54593]]



Sec. 902.10  State Regulatory Program Approval.

* * * * *
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.
    3. Section 902.20 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 902.20  Approval of Alaska Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Plan.

* * * * *
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.

PART 906--COLORADO

    1. The authority citation for Part 906 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.

    2. Section 906.10 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 906.10  State Regulatory Program Approval.

* * * * *
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.
    3. Section 906.20 is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 906.20  Approval of Colorado Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Plan.

    The Colorado Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Plan, as submitted on 
February 16, 1982, and as subsequently revised, is approved effective 
June 11, 1982. Copies of the approved plan are available at:
    (a) Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Division of Minerals 
and Geology, 1313 Sherman Street, Room 215, Denver, CO 80203.
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.
    4. Section 906.25 is added to read as follows:


Sec. 906.25  Approval of Amendments to the Colorado Abandoned Mine Land 
Reclamation Plan.

    (a) The amendment as submitted to OSM on April 29, 1985, to Chapter 
VI, Policies and Procedures, of Colorado's Abandoned Mine Land 
Reclamation Plan, which allows Colorado, subject to OSM grant approval, 
to reclaim noncoal sites that pose a direct threat to public health or 
safety, is approved effective January 9, 1986.
    (b) [Reserved]

PART 944--UTAH

    1. The authority citation for Part 944 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.

    2. Section 944.10 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 944.10  State Regulatory Program Approval.

* * * * *
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.
    3. Section 944.20 is amended by revising paragraph (b) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 944.20  Approval of Utah Abandoned Mine Plan.

* * * * *
    (b) Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western 
Regional Coordinating Center, Technical Library, 1999 Broadway, Suite 
3320, Denver, Colorado 80202-5733.

[FR Doc. 95-26399 Filed 10-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M