[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64048-64049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-26762]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 938

[SATS No.: PA-159-FOR; Docket ID: OSM-2010-0017]


Pennsylvania Regulatory Program

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

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

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SUMMARY: We are reopening and extending the public comment period on 
the proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program (the 
``Pennsylvania program'') under the Surface Mining Control and 
Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act) published on February 7, 
2011. In response to a required program amendment codified in the 
Federal regulations, Pennsylvania submitted information that it 
believes demonstrates that sufficient funds exist to guarantee coverage 
of the full cost of land reclamation at all sites originally permitted 
and bonded under its now-defunct alternative bonding system. 
Pennsylvania requested that the program amendment be removed based on 
the information provided. The comment period is being extended to 
incorporate subsequent information that we received from Pennsylvania 
regarding one permit involving land reclamation obligations.
    This document gives the times and locations that the Pennsylvania 
program and this submittal are available for your inspection, the 
comment period during which you may submit written comments, and the 
procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is 
requested.

DATES: We will accept written comments until 4 p.m., local time 
November 1, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by ``SATS No.: PA-159-
FOR; Docket ID: OSM-2010-0017'' by either of the following two methods:

[[Page 64049]]

    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. The 
proposed rule has been assigned Docket ID: OSM-2010-0017. If you would 
like to submit comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions.

Mail/Hand Delivery/Courier

Mr. George Rieger, Chief,Pittsburgh Field Division,Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement,Harrisburg Transportation Center,415 
Market St., Suite 304,Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17101,Telephone: (717) 
782- 4036, E-mail: [email protected].

Thomas Callaghan, P.G., Director, Bureau of Mining and Reclamation, 
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection,Rachel Carson State 
Office Building,P.O. Box 8461,Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17105-
8461,Telephone: (717) 787-5015, E-mail: [email protected].

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency 
Docket ID (OSM-2010-0017) for this rulemaking. For detailed 
instructions on submitting comments and additional information, see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: George Rieger, Telephone: (717) 782-
4036. E-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 7, 2011 (76 FR 6587), we 
published a proposed rule that was in response to a required program 
amendment codified in the Federal regulations. The submission included 
information that Pennsylvania had submitted to demonstrate that 
sufficient funds exist to guarantee coverage of the full cost of land 
reclamation at all sites originally permitted and bonded under the now-
defunct alternative bonding system. Pennsylvania requested that the 
program amendment be removed based on the information provided.
    On June 13, 2011, (Administrative Record Number PA 802.80), we 
received additional information from Pennsylvania regarding recent 
developments involving one permit that was transferred to another 
company, resulting in the posting of full-cost bond in an amount to 
cover the land reclamation obligation. Included with this submission is 
the mining permit, Part C (Authorization to Mine), and the calculation 
sheet documenting the bond amount.
    We are reopening and extending the comment period to incorporate 
subsequent information that we received from Pennsylvania regarding one 
permit involving land reclamation obligations.

Public Comment Procedures

    Under the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), we are seeking your 
comments on whether the submission satisfies the applicable program 
approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If we approve the amendment, it 
will become part of the Pennsylvania program.

Public Availability of Comments

    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you may 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so. We cannot ensure that comments received after the close 
of the comment period (see DATES) or sent to an address other than 
those listed above (see ADDRESSES) will be included in the docket for 
this rulemaking and considered.

Electronic or Written Comments

    If you submit written comments, they should be specific, confined 
to issues pertinent to the proposed regulations, and explain the reason 
for any recommended change(s). We would appreciate all comments 
relating to this specific issue, but those most useful and likely to 
influence decisions on the final rule will be those that either involve 
personal experience or include citations to and analysis of the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, its legislative history, 
its implementing regulations, case law, other State or Federal laws and 
regulations, data, technical literature, or other relevant 
publications.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 938

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: July 27, 2011.
Thomas D. Shope,
Regional Director,Appalachian Region.
[FR Doc. 2011-26762 Filed 10-14-11; 8:45 am]
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