[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 8, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1074-1075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-302]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 902

[AK-005, Amendment No. V]


Alaska Regulatory Program

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

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

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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) 
is announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Alaska regulatory 
program (hereinafter, the ``Alaska program'') under the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The proposed amendment 
consists of revisions to and additions of rules pertaining to self-
bonding. The amendment is intended to revise the Alaska program to be 
consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received by 4:00 p.m., m.s.t., February 
7, 1997. If requested a public hearing on the proposed amendment will 
be held on February 3, 1997. Requests to present oral testimony at the 
hearing must be received by 4:00 p.m., m.s.t., January 22, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or hand delivered to James 
F. Fulton at the address listed below.
    Copies of the Alaska program, the proposed amendment, 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 Denver Field Division.

James F. Fulton, Chief, Denver Field Division, Western Regional 
Coordinating Center, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, Colorado 80202.
Bob Loeffler, Project Manager, Division of Mining and Water Management, 
Department of Natural Resources, 3601 C Street, Suite 800, Anchorage, 
Alaska 99503-5935.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
 James F. Fulton, Telephone: (303) 844-1424.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Alaska Program

    On March 23, 1983, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Alaska program. General background information on the 
Alaska program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of 
comments, and conditions of approval of the Alaska program can be found 
in the March 23, 1983, Federal Register (48 FR 12274). Subsequent 
actions concerning Alaska's program and program amendments can be found 
at 30 CFR 902.15 and 902.16.

II. Proposed Amendment

    By letter dated December 12, 1996, Alaska submitted a proposed 
amendment to its program pursuant to SMCRA (Amendment number V, 
administrative record No. AK-F-1, 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.). Alaska 
submitted the proposed amendment in response to required program 
amendments at 30 CFR 902.16(b)(1). The provisions of the Alaska 
Administrative Code (AAC) that Alaska proposes to revise and add are 11 
AAC 90.207(f)(3), concerning requirements for self-bonds and 11 AAC 
90.207(f)(8), concerning definitions of specific terms used for self-
bonding.
    Specifically, Alaska is proposing to revise 11 AAC 90.207(f)(3) to 
provide, in pertinent part, that the Commissioner [of Natural 
Resources] will, in the Commissioner's discretion, accept a written 
guarantee from a corporate guarantor if the applicant for a self-bond 
meets certain conditions, including designating and maintaining its own 
agent for service of process in Alaska.
    Alaska proposes the addition of new language at 11 AAC 
90.207((f)(8) (A) through (H) to provide definitions for the terms 
``self-bond,'' ``current assets,'' ``current liabilities,'' ``fixed 
assets,'' ``liabilities,'' ``net worth,'' ``parent corporation,'' and 
``tangible net worth'' as follows:

    (A) ``self-bond'' means an indemnity agreement in a sum certain 
executed by the applicant or by the applicant and any corporate 
guarantor and made payable to the regulatory authority with or 
without a separate surety;
    (B) ``current assets'' means cash or other assets or resources 
which are reasonable expected to be converted to cash or sold or 
consumed within one year or within the normal operating cycle of the 
business;
    (C) ``current liabilities'' means obligations which are 
reasonably expected to be paid or liquidated within one year or 
within the normal operating cycle of the business;
    (D) ``fixed assets'' means plants and equipment, but does not 
include land or coal in place;
    (E) ``liabilities'' means obligations to transfer assets or 
provide services to other entities to the future as a result of past 
transactions;
    (F) ``net worth'' means total assets minus total liabilities and 
is equivalent to owners' equity;
    (G) ``parent corporation'' means a corporation which owns or 
controls the applicant; and
    (H) ``tangible net worth'' means net worth minus intangibles 
such as good will and rights to patents or royalties.

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 become part of the Alaska program.

1. 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 Denver Field Division, 
Western Regional Coordinating Center, will not necessarily be 
considered in the final rulemaking or included in the administrative 
record.

2. Public Hearing

    Persons wishing to testify at the public hearing should contact the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4:00 p.m., 
m.s.t., January 23, 1997. Any disabled

[[Page 1075]]

individual who has need for a special accommodation to attend a public 
hearing should contact the individual listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. The location and time of the hearing will be 
arranged with those persons requesting the hearing. If no one requests 
an opportunity to testify 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 testify have been heard. Persons in the audience 
who have not been scheduled to testify, and who wish to do so, will be 
heard following those who have been scheduled. The hearing will end 
after all persons scheduled to testify and persons present in the 
audience who wish to testify have been heard.

3. Public Meeting

    If only one person requests an opportunity to testify 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

1. 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).

2. 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 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 the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 730.11, 
732.15, and 732.17(h)(10), decisions on proposed State regulatory 
programs and program amendments submitted by 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.

3. 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)).

4. 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.).

5. 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 that 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.

6. Unfunded Mandates

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

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 902

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: December 23, 1996.
James F. Fulton,
Acting Regional Director, Western Regional Coordinating Center.
[FR Doc. 97-302 Filed 1-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M