[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 122 (Monday, June 24, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 32382-32383]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-16008]



=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 935

[OH-238-FOR, #72]


Ohio Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; public comment period and opportunity for public 
hearing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: OSM is announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Ohio 
regulatory program (hereinafter the ``Ohio program'') under the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The proposed 
amendment consists of changes to provisions of the Ohio rules 
pertaining to underground mining. The amendment is intended to revise 
the Ohio program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal 
regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received by 4:00 p.m., [E.D.T.], July 
24, 1996. If requested, a public hearing on the proposed amendment will 
be held on July 19, 1996. Requests to speak at the hearing must be 
received by 4:00 p.m., [E.D.t.], on July 9, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to speak at the hearing should 
be mailed or hand delivered to George Rieger, Field Branch Chief, at 
the address listed below.
    Copies of the Ohio program, the proposed amendment, a listing of 
any scheduled public hearings, and all written comments received in 
response to this document will be available for public review at the 
addresses listed below during normal business hours, Monday through 
Friday, excluding holidays. Each requester may receive one free copy of 
the proposed amendment by contacting OSM's Appalachian Regional 
Coordinating Center.

George Rieger, Field Branch Chief, Appalachian Regional Coordinating 
Center, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 3 Parkway 
Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15220, Telephone: (412) 937-2153
Ohio Division of Mines and Reclamation, 1855 Fountain Square Court, 
Columbus, Ohio 43224, Telephone: (614) 265-1076

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
George Rieger, Field Branch Chief, Telephone: (412) 937-2153.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Ohio Program

    On August 16, 1982, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Ohio program. Background information on the Ohio program, 
including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of comments, and 
the conditions of approval can be found in the August 10, 1982, Federal 
Register (42 FR 34688). Subsequent actions concerning the conditions of 
approval and program amendments can be found at 30 CFR 935.11, 935.12, 
935.15, and 935.16.

II. Description of the Proposed Amendment

    By letter dated May 23, 1996, (Administrative Record No. OH-2166-
00) Ohio submitted a proposed amendment to its program pursuant to 
SMCRA at its own initiative. The provisions of the Ohio Administrative 
Code (OAC) that Ohio proposes to amend are: OAC 1501:13-4-12(G)(3)(d) 
and 4 (f) and (i)--Requirements for Special Categories of Mining, OAC 
1501:13-9-08 (A) & (B)--Protection of Underground Mining, and OAC 
1501:13-13-01--Concurrent Surface and Underground Mining.
    Specifically, Ohio proposes to make the following revisions. At OAC 
1501:13-4-12(G)(3)(d) and (4) (f) and (i), Ohio proposed to delete the 
reference to OAC 1501:13-13-01, which is being rescinded, and replace 
it with a reference to OAC 1501:13-9-08--Protection of Underground 
Mining. At OAC 1501:13-9-08(A), Ohio proposes to require that Mine 
Safety and Health Administration concurrence is required only if 
surface mining operations are to be conducted within 500 feet of active 
underground coal mines. The reference to the Chief of the Ohio Division 
of Mines is changed to the Mine Safety Administrator. Subsection (B) 
which requires that surface mining operations be designed to protect 
disturbed surface areas so as not to endanger any present or future 
coal mining operations is deleted. Ohio proposes to delete OAC 1501:13-
13-01 which addresses performance standards for concurrent surface and 
underground mining. This section duplicates language in OAC 1501:13-4-
12(G) and 13-9-08.

III. Public Comment Procedures

    In accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), OSM is 
seeking comments on whether the proposed amendment satisfies the 
applicable program approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If the amendment 
is deemed adequate, it will be become part of the Ohio program.

Written Comments

    Written comments should be specific, pertain only to the issues 
proposed in this rulemaking, and include explanations in support of the 
commenter's recommendations. Comments received after the time indicated 
under ``DATES'' or at locations other than the Appalachian Regional 
Coordinating Center will not necessarily be considered in the final 
rulemaking or included in the Administrative Record.

Public Hearing

    Persons wishing to speak at the public hearing should contact the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4:00 p.m, 
[E.D.T.] on July 9, 1996. The location and time of the hearing will be 
arranged with those persons requesting the hearing. If no none requests 
an opportunity to speak at the public hearing, the hearing will not be 
held.
    Filing of a written statement at the time of the hearing is 
requested as it will greatly assist the transcriber. Submission of 
written statements in advance of the hearing will allow OSM officials 
to prepare adequate responses and appropriate questions.
    The public hearing will continue on the specified date until all 
persons scheduled to speak have been heard. Persons in the audience who 
have not been scheduled to speak, and who wish to do so, will be heard 
following those who have been scheduled. The hearing

[[Page 32383]]

will end after all persons scheduled to speak and persons present in 
the audience who wish to speak have been heard.
    Any disabled individual who has need for a special accommodation to 
attend a public hearing should contact the individual listed under FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Public Meeting

    If only one person requests an opportunity to speak at a hearing, a 
public meeting, rather than a public hearing, may be held. Persons 
wishing to meet with OSM representatives to discuss the proposed 
amendment may request a meeting by contacting the person listed under 
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All such meetings will be open to the 
public and, if possible, notices of meetings will be posted at the 
locations listed under ADDRESSES. A written summary of each meeting 
will be made a part of the Administrative Record.

IV. Procedural Determinations

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).

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, to the extent allowed by law, this rule meets the 
applicable standards of subsections (a) and (b) of that section. 
However, these standards are not applicable to the actual language of 
State regulatory programs and program amendments since each such 
program is drafted and promulgated by a specific State, not by OSM. 
Under sections 503 and 505 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1253 and 1255) and 30 
CFR 730.11, 732.15, and 732.17(h)(10), decisions on proposed State 
regulatory programs and program amendments submitted by the States must 
be based solely on a determination of whether the submittal is 
consistent with SMCRA and its implementing Federal regulations and 
whether the other requirements of 30 CFR Parts 730, 731, and 732 have 
been met.

National Environmental Policy Act

    No environmental impact statement is required for this rule since 
section 702(d) of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1292(d)) provides that agency 
decisions on proposed State regulatory program provisions do not 
constitute major Federal actions within the meaning of section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)).

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.).

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.). 
The State submittal which is the subject of this rule is based upon 
counterpart Federal regulations for which an economic analysis was 
prepared and certification made that such regulations would not have a 
significant economic effect upon a substantial number of small 
entities. Accordingly, this rule will ensure that existing requirements 
previously promulgated by OSM will be implemented by the State. In 
making the determination as to whether this rule would have a 
significant economic impact, the Department relied upon the data and 
assumptions for the counterpart Federal regulations.

Unfunded Mandates

    This rule will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any 
given year on any government entity or the private sector.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 935

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: June 12, 1996.
Claude L. Downing,
Acting Regional Director, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center.
[FR Doc. 96-16008 Filed 6-21-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M