[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 66 (Monday, April 7, 1997)] [Proposed Rules] [Pages 16506-16507] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 97-8786] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 30 CFR Part 926 Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Operations Under the Federal Lands Program; State-Federal Cooperative Agreements; Montana AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior. ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening of comment period. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is reopening and extending the comment period on a proposed rule which would amend the cooperative agreement between the Department of the Interior and the State of Montana for the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands [[Page 16507]] within Montana under the permanent regulatory program. DATE: Written comments: Written comments must be received by 4:00 p.m., m.s.t. on May 7, 1997. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be mailed or hand delivered to Ranvir Singh, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Western Regional Coordinating Center, Suite 3320, 1999 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202-5733. Copies of the Montana program, proposed amendments to the cooperative agreement and the related information required under 30 CFR Part 745 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 revisions by contacting any one of the following persons: Ranvir Singh, Western Regional Coordinating Center, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, CO 80202-5733, Telephone: (303) 844-1489; Guy Padgett, Director, Casper Field Office, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 100 East ``B'' Street, Room 2128, Casper, WY 82601-1918, Telephone: (307) 261-6550; Jan Sensibaugh, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, 1520 East Sixth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620-0901, Telephone: (406) 444-5270. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ranvir Singh, Western Regional Coordinating Center, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1999 Broadway, Suite 3320, Denver, CO 80202-5733, Telephone: (303) 844-1489. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On June 4, 1980, the Governor of Montana submitted a request for a cooperative agreement between the Department of the Interior and the State of Montana to give the State primacy in the administration of its approved regulatory program on Federal lands within Montana. The Secretary approved the cooperative agreement on January 19, 1981 (46 FR 20983, April 8, 1981). The text of the existing cooperative agreement can be found at 30 CFR 926.30. On July 5, 1994, the Governor, pursuant to 30 CFR 745.14, and, at the recommendation of OSM, submitted a proposed revision to the approved cooperative agreement. The proposed revision would streamline the permitting process in Montana by delegating to Montana the sole responsibility to issue permits for coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands under the revised Federal lands program regulations, and would eliminate duplicative permitting requirements, thereby increasing governmental efficiency, which is one of the purposes of the cooperative agreement. This revision would also update the cooperative agreement to reflect current regulations and agency structures. OSM published a proposed rule which would incorporate the revisions into the cooperative agreement. See 62 FR 1408, January 10, 1997. The public comment period closed on March 11, 1997. OSM is reopening the comment period for an additional 30 days. Anyone wishing to comment should send them to OSM. See ADDRESSES above. Dated: March 31, 1997. Mary Josie Blanchard, Assistant Director, Program Support. [FR Doc. 97-8786 Filed 4-4-97; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-05-M