[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 204 (Friday, October 22, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 56983-56985]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-27671]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 936

[SPATS No. OK-026-FOR]


Oklahoma Regulatory Program

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

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

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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) 
is announcing receipt of additional information and documentation to 
support provisions in a previously proposed amendment to the Oklahoma 
regulatory program (Oklahoma program) under the Surface Mining Control 
and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Oklahoma provided a policy 
statement for its bond release guidelines relating to revegetation 
success standards for diversity on lands reclaimed for use as 
pastureland and grazingland. Oklahoma also submitted evidence of 
consultation with the U. S. Soil Conservation Service (SCS) regarding 
the use of test plots as a statistically valid sampling technique for 
demonstrating success of productivity on prime farmland. Oklahoma 
intends to revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding 
Federal regulations.
    This document gives the times and locations that the Oklahoma 
program and the additional information and supporting documentation for 
its previous amendment to that program are available for your 
inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written 
comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for 
the public hearing, if one is requested.

DATES: We will accept written comments until 4:00 p.m., c.s.t., 
November 22, 1999. If requested, we will hold a public hearing on the 
amendment on November 16, 1999. We will accept requests to speak at the 
hearing until 4:00 p.m., c.s.t. on November 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: You should mail or hand deliver written comments and 
requests to speak at the hearing to Michael C. Wolfrom, Director, Tulsa 
Field Office, at the address listed below.
    You may review copies of the Oklahoma program, the amendment, a 
listing of any scheduled public hearings, and all written comments 
received in response to this document at the addresses listed below 
during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, excluding 
holidays. You may receive one free copy of the amendment by contacting 
OSM's Tulsa Field Office.

Michael C. Wolfrom, Director, Tulsa Field Office, Office of Surface 
Mining, 5100 East Skelly Drive, Suite 470, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74135-6547, 
Telephone: (918) 581-6430.
Oklahoma Department of Mines, 4040 N. Lincoln Blvd., Suite 107, 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105, Telephone: (405) 521-3859.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael C. Wolfrom, Director, Tulsa 
Field Office. Telephone: (918) 581-6430. Internet: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Oklahoma Program

    On January 19, 1981, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Oklahoma program. You can find background information on 
the Oklahoma program, including the Secretary's findings, the 
disposition of comments, and the conditions of approval in the January 
19, 1981, Federal Register (46 FR 4902). You can find later actions 
concerning the Oklahoma program at 30 CFR 936.15 and 936.16.

II. Description of the Proposed Amendment

    On February 17, 1994, Oklahoma proposed to amend its program by 
revising its Bond Release Guidelines (Administrative Record No. OK-
959.01). We approved this amendment, with additional requirements, on 
January 10, 1995 (60 FR 2512). By letter dated September 30, 1999 
(Administrative Record No. OK-984), Oklahoma sent us additional 
information and documentation to support the provisions in its 
previously proposed amendment that we had approved with additional 
requirements. In the January 10, 1995, Federal Register, we approved 
sections II., III., and V.B.2.d and e of Oklahoma's bond release 
guidelines with the following required amendments codified at 30 CFR 
936.16(c) and (g):

    (c) By March 13, 1995, Oklahoma shall revise sections II.B and 
III.B in the Bond Release Guidelines to identify the method it will 
use in developing a phase III revegetation success standard for 
diversity on lands reclaimed for use as pastureland and grazingland.
    (g) By March 13, 1995, Oklahoma must submit, before Oklahoma 
allows the use of test plots as proposed at subsections V.B.2.d and 
V.B.2.e in the Bond Release Guidelines, evidence of consultation 
with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service regarding the use of test 
plots as a statistically valid sampling technique for demonstrating 
success of productivity on prime farmlands.

    In response to 30 CFR 936.16(c), Oklahoma provided a policy 
statement relating to its bond release guidelines for pastureland and 
grazingland. In response to 30 CFR 936.16(g), Oklahoma submitted 
evidence of consultation with the SCS regarding the use of test plots 
as a statistically valid sampling technique for demonstrating success 
of productivity on prime farmland. Following is a summary of the 
additional information and documentation.

[[Page 56984]]

A. II. Pastureland and III. Grazingland--Subsections A.1.g.; 30 CFR 
936.16(c)

    In its letter dated September 30, 1999, Oklahoma included a policy 
statement that identifies the method it will use in developing a 
revegetation success standard for diversity on lands reclaimed for use 
as pastureland and grazingland. Oklahoma indicated that the currently 
approved provisions in its Bond Release Guidelines under II.A.1.g. and 
III.A.1.g. contain the required diversity standards:

    g. Perennial species that are not listed in the approved 
reclamation plan but which the Department approves as being 
desirable and compatible with the postmining land use can make up to 
20% of total ground cover not to exceed 5% ground cover by any one 
of these species.

    Oklahoma stated that the above Bond Release Guidelines ensure that 
80% of the ground cover is composed of the species listed in the 
approved reclamation plan and that it is comprised of vegetation that 
meets the requirement for seasonality, permanence, and regeneration on 
both pastureland and grazingland. In a letter dated May 21, 1996 
(Administrative Record OK-960.04), Oklahoma stated that the above 
diversity standard is based primarily on the seed mix and the 
comparison of this seed mix to the stand established after reclamation.

B. V. Prime Farmland Cropland--Subsections V.B.2.d and e; 30 CFR 
936.16(g)

    Oklahoma submitted a letter from the SCS dated March 2, 1993, as 
evidence of consultation with the SCS regarding the use of test plots 
as a statistically valid sampling technique for demonstrating success 
of productivity on prime farmland. In this letter, the SCS stated that 
it had reviewed Oklahoma's proposal on sampling techniques for row 
crops on prime farmland. The SCS also referred Oklahoma to Dr. James 
Stiegler at the Oklahoma State University for technical evaluation of 
its statistical methods of sampling. Oklahoma submitted a letter from 
the Dr. James Stiegler dated April 24, 1996. In this letter, Dr. 
Stiegler stated:

    I have looked over the material that you have provided to me 
regarding the statistical adequacy of using test plots to prove the 
productivity of reclaimed soils. The method of selecting and 
sampling of the test plots as described will result in valid data to 
support soil productivity.

III. Public Comment Procedures

    Under the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), we are requesting 
comments on whether the additional information and documentation 
satisfies the applicable program approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If 
we approve the amendment, it will become part of the Oklahoma program.

Written Comments

    Our practice is to make comments, including names and home 
addresses of respondents, available for public review during regular 
business hours. Individual respondents may request that we withhold 
their home address from the administrative record, which we will honor 
to the extent allowable by law. There also may be circumstances in 
which we would withhold from administrative record a respondent's 
identity, as allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name 
and/or address, you must state this prominently at the beginning of 
your comment. However, we will not consider anonymous comments. We will 
make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from 
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of 
organizations or businesses, available for public inspection in their 
entirety.
    Your written comments should be specific and pertain only to the 
issues proposed in this rulemaking. You should explain the reason for 
any recommended change. In the final rulemaking, we will not 
necessarily consider or include in the Administrative Record any 
comments received after the time indicated under DATES or at locations 
other than the Tulsa Field Office.
    Please submit Internet comments as an ASCII file avoiding the use 
of special characters and any form of encryption. Please also include 
``Attn: SPATS No. OK-026-FOR'' and your name and return address in your 
Internet message. If you do not receive a confirmation that we have 
received your Internet message, contact the Tulsa Field Office at (918) 
581-6430.

Public Hearing

    If you wish to speak at the public hearing, contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4:00 p.m., c.s.t. on 
November 8, 1999. We will arrange the location and time of the hearing 
with those persons requesting the hearing. If you are disabled and need 
special accommodation to attend a public hearing, contact the 
individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. The hearing 
will not be held if no one requests an opportunity to speak at the 
public hearing.
    To assist the transcriber and ensure an accurate record, we request 
that you provide us with a written copy of your testimony. The public 
hearing will continue on the specified date until all persons scheduled 
to speak have been heard. If you are in the audience and have not been 
scheduled to speak and wish to do so, you will be allowed to speak 
after those who have been scheduled. We will end the hearing 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. If you wish 
to meet with us to discuss the amendment, request a meeting by 
contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All 
such meetings are open to the public and, if possible, we will post 
notices of meetings at the locations listed under ADDRESSES. We also 
make a written summary of each meeting a part of the Administrative 
Record.

IV. Procedural Determinations

Executive Order 12866

    The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) exempts this rule from 
review 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 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 State regulatory programs and 
program amendments 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

    This rule does not require an environmental impact statement since 
section 702(d) of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1292(d)) provides that agency 
decisions on State regulatory program provisions do not constitute 
major Federal actions

[[Page 56985]]

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 
corresponding 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. Therefore, this rule will ensure that existing requirements 
previously published 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 corresponding Federal regulations.

Unfunded Mandates

    OSM has determined and certifies under the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act (2 U.S.C. 1502 et seq.) that this rule will not impose a cost of 
$100 million or more in any given year on local, state, or tribal 
governments or private entities.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 936

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: October 15, 1999.
Richard J. Seibel,
Acting Regional Director, Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center.
[FR Doc. 99-27671 Filed 10-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P