[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 182 (Wednesday, September 19, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Page 58147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-22845]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
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. We will award these grants after
October 1, 2012, because our award authority commences at the beginning
of the fiscal year.
DATES: A state single point of contact and other interested state or
local entities may submit written comments regarding AML and regulatory
funding by December 31, 2012.
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 124-
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. We will
award these grants after October 1, 2012. Eligible applicants are those
states and tribes with a regulatory program or reclamation plan
approved under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977
(SMCRA), 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, twenty
states and 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. Grants
to eligible states and tribes 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, and for non-
reclamation projects.
Description of the Regulatory Program
Title VII of SMCRA authorizes us to provide grants to states and
Indian tribes to develop, administer, and enforce State regulatory
programs addressing surface coal mining operations. Title V and Title
VII authorize states and tribes 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 30 CFR Chapter VII implement the
provisions of SMCRA.
Dated: August 27, 2012.
Joseph Pizarchik,
Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 2012-22845 Filed 9-18-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M