[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 15, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 42750-42753]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-20445]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 938

[PA-133-FOR]


Pennsylvania Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Final rule; approval of amendment.

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SUMMARY: OSM is announcing the approval of a proposed amendment to the 
Pennsylvania regulatory program (Pennsylvania program) under the 
Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The 
amendment references Pennsylvania's anthracite coal mining regulations 
when describing conditions for meeting Stage 2 bond release where prime 
farmlands were present prior to mining. The amendment is intended to 
satisfy the conditions of the required regulatory program amendment at 
30 CFR 938.16(p) and make the Pennsylvania program consistent with the 
corresponding federal regulations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 15, 2001.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Biggi, Director Harrisburg 
Field Office, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
Harrisburg Transportation Center, Third Floor, suite 3C, 4th and Market 
Streets, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101; Telephone (717) 782-4036.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program
II. Submission of the Amendment
III. Director's Findings
IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments
V. Director's Decision
VI. Procedural Determinations

I. Background on the Pennsylvania Program

    Section 503(a) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 
(the Act) permits a State to assume primacy for the regulation of 
surface coal mining and reclamation operations on non-Federal and non-
Indian lands within its borders by demonstrating that its State program 
includes, among other things, ``a State law which provides for the 
regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations in 
accordance with the requirements of the Act * * *'' and ``rules and 
regulations consistent with regulations issued by the Secretary'' 
pursuant to the Act. See 30 U.S.C. 1253(a)(1) and (7). On the basis of 
these criteria, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally approved 
the Pennsylvania program on July 30, 1982. You can find background 
information on the Pennsylvania program, including the Secretary's 
findings, the disposition of comments, and the conditions of the 
approval in the July 30, 1982, Federal Register (47 FR 33050). 
Subsequent actions concerning the conditions of approval and regulatory 
program amendments are codified at 30 CFR 938.11, 938.12, 938.15 and 
938.16.

II. Submission of the Amendment

    By letter dated January 3, 2001 (Administrative Record Number PA-
875.00), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection 
(PADEP) submitted an amendment to its approved permanent regulatory 
program pursuant to the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 732.17(b). 
Pennsylvania included a cross reference dealing with prime farmlands to 
satisfy a required regulatory program amendment at 30 CFR 938.16(p) to 
make the Pennsylvania program consistent with the corresponding Federal 
regulations. The proposed rulemaking was published in the March 5, 2001 
Federal Register (66 FR 13277). The public comment period closed on 
April 4, 2001. No member of the general public provided comments. No 
one requested an opportunity to speak at a public hearing, so no 
hearing was held.

III. Director's Findings

    Set forth below, pursuant to SMCRA and the Federal regulations at 
30 CFR 732.15 and 732.17, are the Director's findings concerning the 
amendments to the Pennsylvania permanent regulatory program.

Section 86.174(b)(3)  Standards for Release of Bonds

    PADEP is amending this subsection to include a reference to Chapter 
88, Anthracite Coal. This subsection deals with the standards for Stage 
2 bond release if prime farmlands are present and refers to reclamation 
plans for the various categories of coal mining. The previous version 
of this regulation contained references to Chapter 87, which relates to 
bituminous coal surface mining, Chapter 89, which relates to 
underground mining of bituminous coal and coal preparation facilities 
and Chapter 90, which relates to coal refuse disposal. This version did 
not contain a reference to Chapter 88, which relates to anthracite coal 
mining. This oversight was corrected when the regulations on post 
mining discharges, licensing and bonding became final, vol. 27, 
Pennsylvania Bulletin, no. 46, Page 6041, November 15, 1997. Subsection 
86.174(b)(3), Page 6054, now states, in part, ``* * * under the 
reclamation plan approved in Chapters 87-90.'' The Director finds the 
proposed revision satisfies the required amendment codified in the 
Federal regulations at 30 CFR 938.16(p), and is therefore removing that 
required amendment.

IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments

Federal Agency Comments

    On March 5, 2001, we asked for comments from various Federal 
agencies that may have an interest in the Pennsylvania amendment 
(Administrative Record Number 875.01.) We solicited comments in 
accordance with section 503(b) of SMCRA and 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(i) of 
the Federal regulations.
    In letters dated February 6 and 7, 2001, the Federal Mine Safety 
and Health Administration responded that, while it does not regulate 
bonding and reclamation of mined lands, the amendment appears adequate 
to ensure restoration of prime farmlands to full productivity after 
completion of mining. (Administrative Records Numbers PA-875.02 and PA 
875.03.)

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    Pursuant to 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(i) and (ii), OSM is required to 
solicit comments from EPA on all amendments, and to obtain the written 
concurrence of the EPA with respect to those provisions of the proposed 
program amendment that relate to air or water quality standards 
promulgated under the authority of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 
et seq.) or the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). By letter dated 
January 31, 2001, we requested comments and concurrence from EPA, on 
the State's proposed amendment of January 3, 2001 (Administrative 
Record Number PA-875.00). EPA in its April 11, 2001, response letter 
(Administrative Record Number PA-875.05) stated that the proposed 
amendment complies with the Clean Water Act.

Public Comments

    No comments were received in response to our request for public 
comments.

V. Director's Decision

    Based on the findings above we are approving the amendment to the 
Pennsylvania program.
    The Federal regulations at 30 CFR part 938, codifying decisions 
concerning the Pennsylvania program, are being amended to implement 
this decision. We find that good cause exists under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) 
to make this final rule effective immediately. Section 503(a) of SMCRA 
requires that the state's program demonstrates that the state has the 
capability of carrying out the provisions of the Act and meeting its 
purposes. Making this regulation effective immediately will expedite 
that process. Consistency of State and Federal standards is required by 
SMCRA.

VI. Procedural Determinations

Executive Order 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review

    This rule is exempted from review by the Office of Management and 
Budget under Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 12630--Takings

    This rule does not have takings implications. This determination is 
based on the analysis performed for the counterpart federal regulation.

Executive Order 13132--Federalism

    This rule does not have federalism implications. SMCRA delineates 
the roles of the federal and state governments with regard to the 
regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations. One of 
the

[[Page 42752]]

purposes of SMCRA is to ``establish a nationwide program to protect 
society and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal 
mining operations.'' Section 503(a)(1) of SMCRA requires that state 
laws regulating surface coal mining and reclamation operations be ``in 
accordance with'' the requirements of SMCRA, and section 503(a)(7) 
requires that state programs contain rules and regulations ``consistent 
with'' regulations issued by the Secretary pursuant to SMCRA.

Executive Order 12988--Civil Justice Reform

    The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required 
by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 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.

Executive Order 13211--Regulations That Significantly Affect The 
Supply, Distribution, or Use of Energy

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order 13211 which 
requires agencies to prepare a Statement of Energy Effects for a rule 
that is (1) considered significant under Executive Order 12866, and (2) 
likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, 
distribution, or use of energy. Because this rule is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866 and is not expected to have a significant 
adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy, a 
Statement of Energy Effects is not required.

National Environmental Policy Act

    Section 702(d) of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1292(d)) provides that a 
decision on a proposed state regulatory program provision does not 
constitute a major federal action within the meaning of section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)). A determination has been made that such decisions are 
categorically excluded from the NEPA process (516 DM 8.4.A).

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not contain information collection requirements that 
require approval by the Office of Management and Budget 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 regulation.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. This rule:
    a. Does not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million.
    b. Will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for 
consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government 
agencies, or geographic regions.
    c. Does not have significant adverse effects on competition, 
employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of 
U.S. based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
    This determination is based upon the fact that the state submittal 
which is the subject of this rule is based upon counterpart federal 
regulations for which an analysis was prepared and a determination made 
that the federal regulation was not considered a major rule.

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: June 18, 2001.
Allen D. Klein,
Regional Director, Appalachian Regional Coordinating Center.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, Title 30, Chapter VII, 
Subchapter T of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth 
below:

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 adding a new entry in 
chronological order by ``Date of Final Publication'' 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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      *                   *                   *                   *                   *                   *
                                                  *
January 3, 2001.........................  August 15, 2001............  25 Pa. Code 86.174.
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    3. Section 938.16 is amended by removing and reserving paragraph 
(p).

[FR Doc. 01-20445 Filed 8-14-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P