[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 4, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 23811-23812]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-11125]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Parts 701, 724, 773, 774, 778, 842, 843, and 846

RIN 1029-AB94


Application and Permit Information Requirements; Permit 
Eligibility; Definitions of Ownership and Control; the Applicant/
Violator System; Alternative Enforcement Actions

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening and extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) 
is reopening and extending the comment period for the proposed rule 
published on December 21, 1998 (63 FR 70580). The comment period 
originally closed

[[Page 23812]]

on February 19, 1999, and was then extended to April 15, 1999 (64 FR 
15322; March 31, 1999). We are again reopening and extending the 
comment period for an additional 5 days.

DATES: We will accept written comments on the proposed rule until 5 
p.m. Eastern time, on May 10, 1999.

ADDRESSES: You may mail or hand-deliver comments to the Office of 
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Administrative Record, Room 
101, 1951 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20240. You may also 
submit comments to OSM via the Internet at: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Earl D. Bandy, Jr., Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement, Applicant/Violator System Office, 2679 Regency Road, 
Lexington, Kentucky 40503. Telephone: (606) 233-2796 or (800) 643-9748. 
E-Mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In order to accept comments from members of 
the public received shortly after the close of the comment period, we 
are reopening and extending the public comment period for the proposed 
rule published on December 21, 1998 (63 FR 70580). We are extending the 
comment period an additional 5 days.
    In the rule, we are proposing revised permit eligibility 
requirements for surface coal mining operations under the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). In particular, we 
propose to revise how ownership and control of mining operations is 
determined under section 510(c) of SMCRA so that applicants who are 
responsible for unabated violations do not receive new permits. We have 
designed this proposal to be effective, fair, and consistent with a 
1997 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit 
addressing ownership and control issues.

    Dated: April 28, 1999.
Mary Josie Blanchard,
Assistant Director, Program Support.
[FR Doc. 99-11125 Filed 5-3-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M