[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 24, 1996)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 38374-38376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18613]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 925

[SPATS No. MO-029-FOR]


Missouri Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Final rule; approval of amendment.

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SUMMARY: OSM is approving a proposed amendment to the Missouri 
regulatory program (hereinafter referred to as the ``Missouri 
program'') under the Surface Mining Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). 
Missouri proposed revisions to its statutes pertaining to requirements 
and procedures for adoption of new or amended rules. The amendment is 
intended to revise the Missouri program to be consistent with SMCRA, 
clarify ambiguities, and improve operational efficiency.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 24, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Michael Wolfrom, Regulatory Program Specialist, Mid-Continent Regional 
Coordinating Center, Alton Federal Building, 501 Belle Street, Alton, 
Illinois 62002. Telephone: (618) 463-6460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Missouri Program
II. Submission of the Proposed Amendment
III. Director's Findings
IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments
V. Director's Decision
VI. Procedural Determinations

I. Background on the Missouri Program

    On November 21, 1980, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Missouri program. General background information on the 
Missouri program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition 
of comments, and the conditions of approval of the Missouri program can 
be found in the November 21, 1980, Federal Register (45 FR 77017). 
Subsequent actions concerning Missouri's program and program amendments 
can be found at 30 CFR 925.12, 925.15, and 925.16.

II. Submission of the Proposed Amendment

    By letter dated March 20, 1996 (Administrative Record No. MO-637), 
Missouri submitted a proposed amendment to its program pursuant to 
SMCRA. Missouri submitted the proposed amendment at its own initiative. 
The proposed amendment concerns changes to the Missouri Surface Coal 
Mining Law authorized by Senate Bill No. 3. Missouri proposed to amend 
the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo) at sections 444.800.5, 
Procedures for suspension and reinstatement of rules; 444.810.2 through 
444.810.8, Powers of the commission; and 444.950.2 through 444.950.8, 
Requirements and procedures for adoption of new or amended rules.
    OSM announced receipt of the proposed amendment in the April 2, 
1996, Federal Register (61 FR 14517), and in the same document opened 
the public comment period and provided an opportunity for a public 
hearing on the adequacy of the proposed amendment. The public comment 
period closed on May 2, 1996.

III. Director's Findings

    Set forth below, pursuant to SMCRA and the Federal regulations at 
30 CFR 732.15 and 732.17, are the Director's findings concerning the 
proposed amendment.

1. RSMo 444.800.5  Procedures for Suspension and Reinstatement of Rules

    Missouri proposed to remove the provision at section 444.800.5 
concerning the authority of the joint committee on administrative rules 
to suspend and reinstate a rule based upon specified circumstances. 
This provision is duplicative of provisions contained in RSMo 536.024. 
Chapter 536, RSMo, Administrative Procedure and Review, contains the 
procedures State agencies must follow when adopting, amending, or 
rescinding administrative rules or regulations in Missouri.
    Since there is no direct Federal counterpart to the deleted 
provision, the Director finds that the removal of section 444.800.5 
will not render the Missouri program less stringent than SMCRA or less 
effective than the Federal regulations.

2. RSMo 444.810.2 Through 444.810.8  Powers of the Commission

    Missouri proposed to remove the existing provisions at sections 
444.810.2 through 444.810.8 concerning requirements and procedures for 
adoption of new or amended rules and to add the following new provision 
at section 444.810.2.

    No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of 
sections 444.800 to 444.970 shall become effective unless it has 
been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024, 
RSMo.

    The existing provisions proposed for removal are duplicative of 
provisions contained in RSMo 536.024. Missouri's proposed new provision 
appropriately references section 536.024 since all Missouri agencies 
that are authorized by constitution or statute to make rules must 
comply with the provisions of Chapter 536, RSMo when adopting, 
amending, or rescinding administrative rules or regulations.
    While there is no direct Federal counterpart to the removed 
provisions or to the new provision, SMCRA and the Federal regulation at 
30 CFR 732.15(b)(10) require State programs to provide for public 
participation in the development and revision of State regulations. 
Chapter 536, RSMo provides for the publication in the Missouri Register 
of proposed rulemaking and subsequent final orders of rulemaking and 
provides for public participation in the rulemaking process.
    Therefore, the Director finds that the deletion of the existing 
provisions at sections 444.810.2 through 444.810.8 and the addition of 
the new provision at section 444.810.2 do not render the Missouri 
program less stringent than SMCRA or less effective than the Federal 
regulations.

3. RSMo 444.950.2  Requirements and Procedures for Adoption of New or 
Amended Rules

    Missouri proposed to remove the existing provisions at sections 
444.950.2 through 444.950.8 concerning requirements and procedures for

[[Page 38375]]

adoption of new or amended rules; to redesignate sections 444.950.9 
through 444.950.11 as 444.950.3 through 444.950.5; and to add the 
following new provision at section 444.950.2.

    No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of 
sections 444.800 to 444.970 shall become effective unless it has 
been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024, 
RSMo.

    The existing provisions proposed for removal are duplicative of 
provisions contained in RSMo 536.024. Missouri's proposal new provision 
appropriately references section 536.024 since all Missouri agencies 
that are authorized by constitution or statute to make rules must 
comply with the provisions of Chapter 536, RSMo when adopting, 
amending, or rescinding administrative rules or regulations.
    While there is no direct Federal counterpart to the removed 
provisions or to the new provision, SMCRA and the Federal regulations 
at 30 CFR 732.15(b)(10) require State programs to provide for public 
participation in the development and revision of State regulations. 
Chapter 536, RSMo provides for the publication in the Missouri Register 
of proposed rulemaking and subsequent final orders of rulemaking and 
provides for public participation in the rulemaking process. Therefore, 
the Director finds that the deletion of the existing provisions at 
sections 444.950.2 through 444.950.8, the redesignation of sections, 
and the addition of the new provision at section 444.950.2 do not 
render the Missouri program less stringent than SMCRA or less effective 
than the Federal regulations.

IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments

Public Comments

    The Director solicited public comments and provided an opportunity 
for a public hearing on the proposed amendment. No public comments were 
received; and because no one requested an opportunity to speak at a 
public hearing, no hearing was held.

Federal Agency Comments

    Pursuant to 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(i), the Director solicited 
comments on the proposed amendment from various Federal agencies with 
an actual or potential interest in the Missouri program. No comments 
were received.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    Pursuant to 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(ii), OSM is required to obtain the 
written concurrence of the EPA with respect to those provisions of the 
proposed program amendment that relate to air or water quality 
standards promulgated under the authority of the Clean Water Act (33 
U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). 
None of the revisions that Missouri proposed to make in this amendment 
pertain to air or water quality standards. Therefore, OSM did not 
request EPA's concurrence.
    Pursuant to 732.17(h)(11)(i), OSM solicited comments on the 
proposed amendment from EPA (Administrative Record No. MO-638). EPA did 
not respond to OSM's request.

State Historical Preservative Officer (SHPO) and the Advisory Council 
on Historic Preservation (ACHP)

    Pursuant to 30 CFR 732.17(h)(4), OSM is required to solicit 
comments on proposed amendments which may have an effect on historic 
properties from the SHPO and ACHP. Since the proposed amendment would 
not have any effect on historic properties, OSM did not solicit comment 
from the SHPO or ACHP.

V. Director's Decision

    Based on the above findings, the Director approves the proposed 
amendment as submitted by Missouri on March 20, 1996.
    The Federal regulations at 30 CFR Part 925, codifying decisions 
concerning the Missouri program, are being amended to implement this 
decision. This final rule is being made effective immediately to 
expedite the State program amendment process and to encourage States to 
bring their programs into conformity with the Federal standards without 
undue delay. Consistency of State and Federal standards is required by 
SMCRA.

VI. 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 12988

    The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required 
by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 (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 
corresponding 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 corresponding Federal regulations.

Unfunded Mandates

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

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 925

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.


[[Page 38376]]


    Dated: July 3, 1996.
Brent Wahlquist,
Regional Director, Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 30 CFR Part 925 is amended 
as set forth below:

PART 925--MISSOURI

    1. The authority citation for Part 925 continues to read as 
follows:

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

    2. Section 925.15 is amended by adding paragraph (v) to read as 
follows:


Sec. 925.15   Approval of regulatory program amendments.

* * * * *
    (v) Revisions to the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo) at 
sections 444.800, 444.810, and 444.950 as submitted to OSM on March 20, 
1996, are approved effective July 24, 1996.

[FR Doc. 96-18613 Filed 7-23-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M