[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 8, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 30387-30388]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-14291]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 938

[PA-125-FOR]


Pennsylvania Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Final rule; correction.

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SUMMARY: This document corrects and explains an OSM decision on 
provisions of a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory 
program (hereinafter referred to as the Pennsylvania Program) under the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), 30 U.S.C. 
1201 et seq., as amended. OSM published it decision on the amendment in 
the March 26, 1999, Federal Register (64 FR 14610). On May 5, 1999, 
Pennsylvania submitted a letter requesting that OSM reconsider portions 
of this decision. Specifically, Pennsylvania requested that OSM rescind 
its disapprovals of Pennsylvania's definition of ``no-cost reclamation 
contract,'' a portion of the definition of ``government-financed 
construction contract,'' a portion of Section 4.8(e)(52 P.S. 
1396.4h(e)) and all of Section 4.8(g)(52 P.S. 1396.4h(g)), as they 
pertain to no-cost contracts. Pennsylvania also requested that OSM 
rescind its requirements that Pennsylvania amend PA SMCRA to delete the 
specified provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 8, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert J. Biggi, Director, 
Harrisburg Field Office, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement, Third Floor, Suite 3C Harrisburg Transportation Center 
(Amtrack), 415 Market Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101. 
Telephone: (717) 782-4036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By letter dated November 21, 1997 
(Administrative Record N0. PA-855.00), the Pennsylvania Department of 
Environmental Protection (PADEP) submitted proposed program amendment 
No. 2 to the Pennsylvania Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation (AMLR) Plan. 
By letters dated October 8 and October 13, 1998, PADEP submitted 
portions of its state law which it believed provided specific 
authorization for the proposed changes to the AMLR Plan. 
(Administrative Record No. PA 855.12). On March 26, 1999, OSM approved 
portions of the amendment, but disapproved sections referencing no-cost 
reclamation contracts. (64 FR 14610). By letter dated May 6, 1999 
(Administrative Record No. PA-855.17), the PADEP submitted a letter to 
OSM, requesting that OSM rescind its disapprovals of the portions of 
the statutory amendment pertaining to no-cost reclamation contracts. 
This document revises and explains OSM's decisions with respect to no-
cost reclamation contracts. In March 26, 1999, Federal Register, 
Notice, OSM determined that:

    Any expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the AML agency, 
including the costs of project design, solicitation, management and 
oversight, qualify as government financing. However, Pennsylvania 
defines no-cost contracts as those contracts that do not involve the 
expenditure of any government funding, either as direct payments or 
as indirect expenses such as those listed above. Therefore, 
Pennsylvania's definition of ``government financed reclamation 
contract'' is less effective than the Federal definition of 
``government-financed construction,'' at 30 CFR 707.5, to the extent 
that it would allow incidental coal extraction or coal refuse 
removal, without a permit, pursuant to no-cost contracts.

64 FR at 14616.
    As a result of this determination, OSM disapproved the definition 
of the term ``no-cost reclamation contract,'' and also disapproved 
other portions of the statutory amendment which contained the term 
``no-cost contract'' or ``no-cost reclamation contract.'' Finally, OSM 
required PADEP to amend its program to delete all statutory language in 
the amendment pertaining to ``no-cost reclamation contracts.'' 30 CFR 
938.16 (cccc), (dddd), (eeee), and (ffff).
    In discussions with OSM after publication of the March 26, 1999, 
decision, PADEP provided additional information pertaining to its 
definition of ``no-cost reclamation contracts.'' OSM requested that 
this information be provided in writing for further consideration. 
PADEP's letter dated May 6, 1999 (Administrative Record No. PA-855.17), 
explained that its definition of ``no-cost reclamation contract'' 
clearly envisions PADEP incurring indirect costs in reviewing 
information provided by a contractor, and in determining whether a 
contractor is eligible for a contract. PADEP also explained that the 
prohibition on the expenditure of Commonwealth funds, contained in the 
definition of ``no-cost reclamation contract'' refers only to ``what 
OSM considers direct expenditures. In Pennsylvania, `expenditures of 
Commonwealth Funds' would be a direct payment of money to the 
contractor from the Commonwealth to perform the reclamation.'' 
Therefore, PADEP contended, only direct payments to contractors are 
prohibited, but indirect project costs can, and indeed must, be 
allowed. Since the definition of ``no-cost reclamation contract'' does 
not prohibit indirect costs, PADEP stated that the definition is no 
less effective than and in accordance with the federal definition of 
``government financed construction '' at 30 CFR 707.5. Finally, the 
PADEP argued that if the definition of ``no-cost reclamation contract'' 
can be approved, then all of the statutory sections of the amendment 
which contain references to ``no-cost reclamation contracts'' should 
also be approved.
    Upon further consideration, and in view of the May 5, 1999, 
clarification provided by the PADEP, OSM hereby rescinds the following 
disapprovals:

52 P.S. 1396.3, the definition of ``government-financed reclamation 
contract,'' paragraph (1)(i), the phrase ``including a reclamation 
contract where less than five hundred (500) tons is removed and the 
government's cost of financing reclamation will be assumed by the 
contractor under the terms of a no-cost contract''; and, paragraph 
(1)(ii), the phrase ``including where reclamation is performed by 
the contractor under the terms of a no-cost contract with the 
department, not involving any reprocessing of coal refuse on the 
project area or return of any coal refuse material to the project 
area.''

52 P.S. 1396.3, the definition of ``no-cost reclamation contract.''

52 P.S. 1396.4h(e), the following language: For no-cost reclamation 
projects in which the reclamation schedule is shorter than two (2) 
years the bond amount shall be a per acre fee, which is equal to the 
department's average per acre cost to reclaim abandoned mine lands; 
provided, however, for coal refuse removal operations, the bond 
amount shall only apply to each acre affected by the coal refuse 
removal operations. For long-term, no-cost reclamation projects in 
which the reclamation schedule extends beyond two (2) years, the 
department may establish a lesser bond amount. In these contracts, 
the department may in the alternative establish a bond amount which 
reflects the cost of the proportionate amount of reclamation which 
will occur during a period specified.

52 P.S. 1396.4h(g), in its entirety.
    In addition, OSM is removing the required amendments at 30 CFR

[[Page 30388]]

938.16(cccc), (dddd), (eeee) and (ffff). The effect of these actions is 
that OSM is now approving the concept of ``no-cost reclamation 
contracts,'' and is also approving the statutory amendments referenced 
above, insofar as such contracts include indirect government financing. 
However, OSM's approval of these provisions is effective only to the 
extent that ``no-cost reclamation contracts'' which provide for the 
incidental extraction of coal, and which are less than 50% government 
financed, through indirect project financing, are treated in the same 
manner as Federally funded Title IV AML projects. Specifically, the 
projects must comply with the requirements of Subchapter R, Chapter VII 
of the Federal regulations, even where the projects receive state 
financing, but do not receive Federal financing.
    The Federal regulations at 30 CFR part 938, codifying decisions 
concerning the Pennsylvania program, are being amended to implement 
this revised finding.
    Section 938.15 Approval of Pennsylvania Regulatory Program 
Amendments is being amended in the table (third column, 64 FR at 14619) 
to show both the March 26, 1999, final publication of this amendment, 
and the date of the revision discussed in this notice.
    Section 938.16 Required Regulatory Program Amendments is being 
amended to remove the required amendments at 30 CFR 938.16 (cccc), 
(dddd), (eeee) and (ffff).

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: May 19, 1999.
Allen D. Klein,
Regional Director, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center.

PART 938--PENNSYLVANIA

    1. The authority citation for part 938 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.

    2. Section 938.15 is amended in the table by revising the entry 
having the original amendment submission date of October 8, 1998, to 
read as follows:


Sec. 938.15  Approval of Pennsylvania regulatory program amendments.

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  Original amendment submission date     Date of final publication               Citation/description
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October 8, 1998......................  March 26, 1999 and June 8,     52 P.S. 1396.3, 1396.4h.
                                        1999.
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Sec. 938.16  [Amended]

    3. Section 938.16 is amended by removing and reserving paragraphs 
(cccc), (dddd), (eeee), and (ffff).

[FR Doc. 99-14291 Filed 6-7-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M