[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 183 (Friday, September 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 44464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20261]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

[S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 178S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 
17X501520]


Grant Notification for Fiscal Year 2018

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

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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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 2018.

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, 2017.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
     Email: 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 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 2018. 
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 
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 AML coal mine sites that were left abandoned 
prior to the enactment of SMCRA in 1977, reclaim eligible non-coal 
sites, and complete projects that address the impacts of mineral 
development and other 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 adverse effects of surface 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 authorities, 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: August 21, 2017.
Glenda H. Owens,
Acting Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2017-20261 Filed 9-21-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P