[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 200 (Monday, October 17, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 71531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-25016]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX066A0067F 167S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX066A000 
33F16XS501520]


Action Subject to Intergovernmental Review

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 
are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to eligible 
applicants for purposes authorized under the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) 
Reclamation Program. Additionally, we are notifying the public that we 
intend to grant funds to eligible applicants for regulating coal mining 
within their jurisdictional borders under the Regulatory Program. We 
will award these grants during fiscal year 2017.

DATES: A single point of contact or other interested state or local 
entities may submit written comments regarding AML and regulatory 
funding by December 15, 2016.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Electronic mail: Send your comments to 
[email protected].
     Mail, hand-delivery, or courier: Send your comments to 
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Administrative 
Record, Room 252-SIB, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Jay Bautista, Office of Surface 
Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951 Constitution Ave. NW., MS 130-
SIB, Washington, DC 20240; Telephone (202) 208-7411.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Grant Notification

    We are notifying the public that we intend to grant funds to 
eligible applicants for purposes authorized under the AML Reclamation 
Program. Additionally, we are notifying the public that we intend to 
grant funds to eligible applicants for regulating coal mining within 
their jurisdictional borders under the Regulatory Program. We will 
award these grants during fiscal year 2017. Eligible applicants are 
those states and Indian tribes with a regulatory program, regulatory 
development program, and/or reclamation plan approved under the Surface 
Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA), as amended, 30 
U.S.C. 1201 et seq., and the State of Tennessee. Under Executive Order 
(E.O.) 12372, we must provide state and tribal officials the 
opportunity to review and comment on proposed federal financial 
assistance activities. Of the eligible applicants, nineteen states or 
Indian tribes do not have single points-of-contact under the E.O.12372 
review process; therefore, we are required to publish this notice as an 
alternate means of notification.

Description of the AML Program

    SMCRA established the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund to receive 
the AML fees used to finance reclamation of AML coal mine sites. Title 
IV of SMCRA authorizes the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement to provide grants to eligible states and Indian tribes that 
are funded from permanent (mandatory) appropriations. Recipients use 
these funds to reclaim the highest priority AML coal mine sites that 
were left abandoned prior to the enactment of SMCRA in 1977, eligible 
non-coal sites, projects that address the impacts of mineral 
development, and non-reclamation projects.

Description of the Regulatory Program

    Title VII of SMCRA authorizes the Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement to provide grants to states and Indian 
tribes to develop, administer, and enforce state regulatory programs 
addressing the disturbance from coal mining operations. Title V and 
Title VII authorize states to develop regulatory programs pursuant to 
SMCRA, and upon approval of regulatory programs, to assume regulatory 
primacy and act as the regulatory authority, and to administer and 
enforce their respective approved SMCRA regulatory programs. Our 
regulations at Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter VII 
implement the provisions of SMCRA.

    Dated: September 28, 2016.
Glenda H. Owens,
Deputy Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2016-25016 Filed 10-14-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4310-05-P