[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]


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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.

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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