[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 167 (Friday, August 28, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 45973-45975]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-23242]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 938

[PA-123-FOR]


Pennsylvania Permanent Regulatory Program

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

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

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SUMMARY: OSM is announcing the receipt of a proposed amendment to the 
Pennsylvania permanent regulatory program (hereinafter referred to as 
the Pennsylvania program) under the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The proposed amendment (Administrative 
Record Number PA 837.80) revises the Pennsylvania program to 
incorporate changes made to address required amendments to the 
Pennsylvania program that are identified in OSM's approval of 
Pennsylvania's coal refuse disposal amendment on April 22, 1998 (63 FR 
19802). The amendment is intended to revise the Pennsylvania program to 
be consistent with SMCRA and the Federal regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before the close of 
business on September 28, 1998. If requested, a public hearing on the 
proposed amendments will be held on September 22, 1998. Requests to 
present oral testimony at the hearing must be received on or before the 
close of business on September 14, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to speak at the hearing should 
be mailed or hand delivered to Robert J. Biggi, Director, Harrisburg 
Field Office at the address shown below.
    Copies of the Pennsylvania 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 requestor may receive 
one free copy of the proposed amendment by contacting OSM's Harrisburg 
Field Office. Any disabled individual who has need for a special 
accommodation to attend a public hearing should contact the individual 
listed unde FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert J. Biggi, Director, 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Harrisburg Field 
Office, Harrisburg Transportation Center, Third Floor, Suite 3C, 4th 
and Market Streets, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101, Telephone: (717) 
782-4036.
    Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of 
Mining and Reclamation, Room 209 Executive House, 2nd and Chestnut 
Streets, P.O. Box 8461, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-8461, Telephone: 
(717) 787-5103.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert J. Biggi, Director, Harrisburg 
Field Office, (717) 782-4036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program

    On July 31, 1982, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Pennsylvania program. Background information on the 
Pennsylvania program including the Secretary's findings, the 
disposition of comments, and a detailed explanation of the conditions 
of approval of the Pennsylvania program can be found in the July 30, 
1982, Federal Register (47 FR 33050). Subsequent actions concerning the 
conditions of approval and program amendments are identified at 30 CFR 
938.11, 938.12, 938.15 and 938.16.

II. Discussion of Amendment

    By letter dated September 14, 1995 (Administrative Record Number PA

[[Page 45974]]

837.01), Pennsylvania submitted an amendment to the Pennsylvania 
program. The amending language is contained in Pennsylvania House Bill 
1075 and was enacted into Pennsylvania law as Act 1994-114. The 
amendments changed Pennsylvania's Coal Refuse Disposal Act (of 
September 24, 1968 (P.L. 1040, No. 318) and amended on October 10, 1980 
(P.L. 807, No. 154)) to provide authorization for refuse disposal in 
areas previously affected by mining which contain pollutional 
discharges. OSM approved the amendments, with certain exceptions, on 
April 22, 1998 (63 FR 19802-19821). The April 22, 1998, notice 
contained seven required regulatory program amendments codified at 30 
CFR 938.16 paragraphs (vvv) through (bbbb). On June 15, 1998 (63 FR 
32615-32616), OSM corrected an inadvertent omission of a phrase at 30 
CFR 938.16 paragraphs (vvv) through (bbbb), concerning the required 
Pennsylvania regulatory program amendments published in the April 22, 
1998, Federal Register notice at pages 19820-19821.
    By letter dated May 22, 1998 (Administrative Record Number PA 
837.72) Pennsylvania responded to the required regulatory program 
amendments codified at 30 CFR 938.16 (vvv) through (bbbb) by submitting 
three items: (1) Written clarifications relating to each of the 
required regulatory program amendments; (2) the draft text of a notice 
to be published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin intended to address one of 
the required amendments; and (3) a legal opinion from the Pennsylvania 
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) legal counsel confirming 
the DEP's authority to implement the necessary change.
    By letter dated July 15, 1998 (Administrative Record Number PA 
837.74) OSM responded to DEP's May 22, 1998, letter and stated that the 
clarifications can only be incorporated into the approved Pennsylvania 
program through formal rulemaking.
    By letter dated August 17, 1998 (Administrative Record Number (PA 
837.80)), the DEP requested that OSM process the DEP's May 22, 1998, 
letter as a program amendment.
    The proposed amendments are as follows:

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(vvv)

    The meaning of the term ``excess soil and related material'' as 
used in the definition ``coal refuse disposal activities'' in 
Section 3 of the Coal Refuse Disposal Control Act (CRDCA) is 
clarified to mean the rock, clay or other materials located 
immediately above or below a coal seam and which are extracted from 
a coal mine during the process of mining coal. The term does not 
include topsoil or subsoil. This clarification will be incorporated 
in regulations as they are developed.

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(www)

    The Department has considered OSM's discussion relating to 
variances on stream buffer zones. The Department's application of 
variance provisions has previously been directed to ensuring that 
coal refuse disposal activities within stream buffer zones would not 
cause or contribute to the violation of State or Federal water 
quality standards, and would not adversely affect water quality and 
quantity, or other environmental resources of the stream. The 
Department notes that any coal refuse disposal activity is likely to 
cause some type of impact and that some impacts can be tolerated. 
OSM interprets an adverse impact as one that exceeds the allowable 
limits, that is, one that will not be tolerated. The Department's 
interpretation of ``significant adverse impact'' is the same as 
OSM's interpretation of ``adverse impact;'' in both cases, it is an 
impact that will not be tolerated because it exceeds the allowable 
limits. The Department distinguishes between impacts that are 
tolerable and those that are not through its use of the word 
``significant.'' However, the Department recognizes that differences 
in terminology may cause confusion and will therefore suspend use of 
the term ``significant,'' even though, in practice, the same 
protections will continue to be afforded. Consequently, when 
granting a variance, the Department will not implement the word 
``significant'' in Sec. 6.1(h)(5) of the CRDCA, as it pertains to 
granting of variances to the 100-foot stream buffer zone. Under 
Sec. 15.1 of CRDCA, the Department has the authority to suspend 
implementation of any provision of the CRDCA found to be 
inconsistent with federal law by OSM. By notice scheduled to be 
published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on May 30, 1998, and in 
accordance with Sec. 15.1 of the CRDCA, the Department will confirm 
that it has suspended implementation of the word ``significant'' on 
the basis of the Secretary of the United States Department of the 
Interior's finding that the word ``significant'' was inconsistent 
with federal law. The Department reaffirms that it will only 
authorize variances to conduct coal refuse disposal activities 
within stream buffer zones if the activities will not cause or 
contribute to the violation of State or Federal water quality 
standards, and will not adversely affect water quality and quantity, 
or other environmental resources of the stream. This clarification 
will be incorporated in regulations as they are developed.

    In the May 30, 1998, Pennsylvania Bulletin (Vol. 28, No. 22) 
Pennsylvania announced that the DEP suspended, in accordance with 
Sec. 15.1 of the Coal Refuse Disposal Act (52 P.S. Sec. 90.65a), the 
implementation of the word ``significant'' found in Sec. 6.1(h)(5) of 
the Coal Refuse Disposal Act. Also included in the DEP's May 22, 1998, 
submittal is a memorandum dated May 19, 1998, from the Chief Council of 
the DEP. In that memorandum, the Chief Counsel stated that the 
``Department [DEP] has the legal authority to suspend implementation of 
the word `significant' and to clarify to OSM how the Department will 
interpret and implement the Act 114 amendments as part of its approved 
program. The Department's interpretations are consistent with the 
law.''

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(xxx)

    The Department clarifies that preexisting discharges which are 
encountered must be treated to the effluent standards of 25 Pa. Code 
Sec. 90.102. This clarification will be incorporated in regulations 
governing Section 6.2 of the CRDCA as they are developed.

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(yyy)

    The Department clarifies that subsection 6.2(h) of the CRDCA 
pertains to preexisting discharges which are not encountered. This 
clarification will be incorporated in regulations as they are 
developed.

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(zzz)

    The Department clarifies that the revegetation standards of 
subsection 6.2(k) of the CRDCA are limited to areas previously 
disturbed by mining and which were not reclaimed to Pennsylvania's 
reclamation standards. This clarification will be incorporated in 
regulations as they are developed.

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(aaaa)

    The Department clarifies that under subsection 6.2(l) of the 
CRDCA, a special authorization for coal refuse disposal operations 
will not be granted when such an authorization would result in the 
site being reclaimed to lesser standards than could be achieved if 
the monies paid into the Surface Mining Conservation and Reclamation 
Fund, as a result of a prior forfeiture on the area, were used to 
reclaim the site to the standards approved in the original permit 
under which the bond monies were forfeited. This clarification will 
be incorporated in regulations as they are developed.

Required amendment codified at 30 CFR 938.16(bbbb)

    The Department clarifies that the Department will implement 
Section 6.3 of the CRDCA in a manner no less effective than 30 CFR 
Sec. 785.13 and no less stringent than Section 711 of the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act and clarifies that experimental 
practices will only be approved as part of the normal permit 
approval process and only for departure from the environmental 
protection performance standards, and that each experimental 
practice must receive the approval of the Secretary of the United 
States Department of Interior. This clarification will be 
incorporated in regulations as they are developed.

[[Page 45975]]

III. Public Comment Procedures

    In accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), OSM is now 
seeking comments on the proposed amendments to the Pennsylvania program 
that were submitted on May 22, 1998. Comments should address whether 
the proposed amendments satisfy the applicable program approval 
criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If the amendments are deemed adequate, they 
will become part of the Pennsylvania program.

Written Comments

    Written comments should be specific, pertain only to the issues 
proposed in this notice, and include explanations in support of the 
commenter's recommendations. Comments received after the time indicated 
under DATES or at locations other than the OSM Harrisburg Field Office 
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 the close of 
business on September 14, 1998. 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 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 will end after all 
persons scheduled to speak and persons present in the audience who wish 
to speak have been heard.

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 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 
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 governmental entity or the private sector.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: August 21, 1998.
Allen D. Klein,
Regional Director, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center.
[FR Doc. 98-23242 Filed 8-27-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P