[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 194 (Friday, October 6, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52412-52414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-24897]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Notice of Public Meeting and Request for Public Comments
AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.
SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM
or we) of the U.S. Department of the Interior is developing its
recommendations to the President for the FY 1997 budget. As part of
OSM's effort to be customer-driven, we are providing the public (you)
with a chance to give us your recommendations on how much money we
should ask for and how we should set our priorities to serve your
needs. You can send us written comments. We will also hold a public
meeting to give you and OSM's Management Council a chance to talk about
FY 1997 priorities and funding levels. You can also let us know your
views on other issues, but we prefer the focus to be on your priorities
for FY 1997. The public meeting will be interactive, and will include
several pre-selected roundtables. OSM will not respond directly to
written comments or to the points raised in the public meeting. All
points will be considered in the Management Council's deliberations.
This is an experimental effort. If it works, we will use it in the
future.
DATES: Written comments: We will accept written comments on the
priority of our business lines and the program activities for fiscal
year 1997 until 4:00 p.m. local time on November 1, 1995.
Public meeting: We will hold a public meeting in an interactive
forum on our business lines and program activities for fiscal year 1997
in Washington, D.C. on October 31, 1995, beginning at 9:00 a.m. If more
time is needed we will continue the meeting on November 1, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Written comments: Mail or hand-deliver to Victor J.
Christiansen at the address provided under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT.
Public meeting: The public meeting will be held at the South
Interior Building's Auditorium, 1951 Constitution Ave., N.W.,
Washington, D.C.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Victor J. Christiansen. Mr.
Christiansen can supply information on our FY 1995-1996 budget for
those interested, and may be reached at: Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, Room 244, 1951 Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20240; Telephone: 202-7851; E-Mail address on the
internet; vchristi@osmre.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: OSM has decided to request public comments
and to hold a public meeting where we hope to gain your input into our
recommendations to the President on OSM's FY 1997 budget. To better
enable you to prepare comments, we have included our mission and vision
statements and a list of our business functions below. We would like
you to prioritize the business lines and program activities, keeping in
mind the mission and vision of OSM.
Mission
Our mission is to carry out the requirements of the Surface Mining
Control and Reclamation Act in cooperation with States and Tribes. Our
primary objectives are to ensure that coal mines are operated in a
manner that protects citizens and the environment during mining and
assures that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining,
and to mitigate the effects of past mining by aggressively pursuing
reclamation of abandoned coal mines.
Vision
In regulating active coal mining, we will maintain compliance at
high levels and ensure that all mines are properly operated and
promptly reclaimed to the standards established under the Act. We will
emphasize prevention and ensure that long-term environmental problems
do not occur. We will ensure that the premining productivity of the
land is restored.
In reclaiming abandoned mine lands, we will aggressively pursue
reclamation with a primary emphasis on correcting the most serious
problems related to public health, safety, and the general welfare. We
will ensure maximum public benefit through the prompt and fair
distribution of public funds.
In cooperating with State regulatory authorities, the primary
enforcers of SMCRA, and with Tribes, we will promote a shared
commitment to the goals of the Act. We will develop
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comprehensive understandings about the fairness, effectiveness, and
efficiency of SMCRA programs. We will provide constructive program
reviews, oversight monitoring, and technical assistance that focus on
results. We will act independently to protect the public interest in
situations of imminent harm or when a State does not implement an
approved regulatory program.
In dealing with those who are affected by mining and reclamation,
we will ensure the protection of citizens from abusive mining
practices, be responsive to their concerns, and allow them full access
to information needed to evaluate the effect of mining on their health,
safety, general welfare, and property.
In our relations with the coal industry, we will have clear, fair,
and consistently applied policies and will respect the importance of
coal production as a source of our Nation's energy supply.
In all communications, we will maintain open, courteous,
constructive, and timely dialogue and will use information to
understand and improve our programs and those of our State and Tribal
partners.
In demonstrating leadership in mining and reclamation, we will
promote the development of the highest quality technical information
and research and will seek the transfer of technology to those who
would benefit.
In meeting our responsibilities, we will be a diverse, competent,
innovative, and highly-trained work force. We will serve with
integrity, and demonstrate technical, legal, administrative, and
professional excellence at all times. We will constantly strive to
create a more responsive, efficient, and effective process for
achieving SMCA's objectives.
Business Lines and Program Activities
Financial Management involves the functions of collecting managing
and disbursing the funds received from coal operators. This business
line includes the costs of collecting, managing, disbursing and
investing abandoned mine land reclamation fees. It also includes the
full range of the audit, billing, and collection process. This line
also finances the costs of collecting civil penalties from operators
who violate any mining permit condition or any Title V SMCRA provision,
as well as other administrative collections. It provides funds for
protecting the environment, property and public.
Revenue Management--This program activity involves the
identification, notification and collection of civil penalties and
associated interest and bond forfeiture collections.
Fee Compliance--This program activity's primary purpose is to
identify, notify, audit and collect fees from operators for the AML
Fund. It is the AML Fund that provides monies for the reclamation of
abandoned mine lands.
Financial Management--This program activity includes the
programmatic accounting functions, such as AML and excluding
administrative functions such as payroll. This also includes the fiscal
responsibility and accounting for grants.
Environmental Restoration involves all those functions that
contribute to reclaiming lands affected by past coal mining practices.
This business line provides for the use of AML funds to protect public
health, safety, and general welfare from extreme danger and adverse
effects of coal mining practices. It also restores land and water
resources and the environment previously degraded by these practices.
In addition, OSM will finance the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative
in this business line.
The preponderance of the funding requirement is devoted to AML
State reclamation funding. Also included in the grants area is funding
for State operated emergency projects and priority projects. This
business line also finances the costs of the Federal reclamation
program, including the Federal emergency program and for priority
projects in States that do not have a reclamation program. This
business line also funds the costs of AML program development by
providing resources for policy direction and program oversight.
State Funding--This program activity involves the funds allocated
to the States for their approved AML programs. This does not include
grant application processing or any other processes for administering
the grants.
State Performance Evaluation--This program activity provides for
monitoring the progress and quality of each approved State and Tribal
reclamation plan.
Emergencies--This program activity provides for immediate relief
from abandoned mine hazards that threaten public safety and health. It
provides for implementation of the emergency program in States and
Tribal lands without approved emergency reclamation programs.
Federal/Indian Lands--This program activity provides for the
management of AML projects in States and Tribal lands without approved
reclamation plans under the Federal Reclamation Program.
Program Development and Maintenance--The Program Development
activity provides for developing an allocation and distribution formula
for grants to the States and Indian Tribes; management and maintenance
of the National Abandoned Mine Land Inventory; development and
implementation of the Appalachian Clean Streams Initiative; and the
application and development of policies and regulations related to
Title IV of SMCRA.
Environmental Protection ecnompasses those functions that directly
contribute to ensuring that the environment is protected during surface
coal mining operations. It also assures that coal operators adequately
reclaim the land after the mining is complete.
This business line involved the oversight of State programs and the
operation of Federal and Indian programs. As with the Environmental
Restoration business line, the principal costs of delivering the
Environmental Protection line are devoted to providing regulatory
grants to the States. Other important responsibilities financed out of
this business line include State program oversight through the
inspection and evaluation processes and the operation of the Applicant
Violator System. OSM funds State regulatory program development in this
business line.
This business line also provides OSM with the resources needed to
oversee Federal and Indian programs. It includes direct inspection and
enforcement activities on Indian lands and in States not having
primacy, and in States who have not entered into cooperative agreements
to oversee Federal lands within their borders. It also provides for
OSM's costs for regulatory program development.
State Funding--This program activity involves the grant funds OSM
must allocate to each State with an approved regulatory program to fund
up to 50% of their programs. This program does not include processing
grant applications or any other processes necessary to disburse the
grants to the states.
State Performance Evaluation--Includes those program activities
associated with the assurance that the states are following the
approved regulatory and abandoned mine land programs.
Federal Programs--Includes those program activities associated with
establishing/maintaining a Federal presence to carry out the
requirements of SMCRA.
Federal Lands--Includes those program activities associated with
the negotiation and monitoring of cooperative agreements with primacy
states to regulate coal mining on Federal
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lands in their states; also includes direct regulatory activities on
Federal lands in states without cooperative agreements.
Indian Lands--Includes direct regulatory activities on Indian lands
and initiatives in self-governance and self-determination.
Program Development and Maintenance--Includes those program
activities associated with the interpretation of SMCRA and its
implementing regulations, reviewing and processing amendments to state
programs and developing new program initiatives to meet changes in
regulatory policy.
Applicant Violator System (AVS)--This program activity provides
OSM, the states and tribes with the required information to fully meet
the requirements of Section 510(c) of the Surface Mining Act.
Technology Development and Transfer captures OSM efforts to enhance
the technical skills that States and Indian tribes need to operate
their regulatory and reclamation programs and to meet SMCRA
requirements. OSM wants to assure that States and Indian tribes have
the highest possible level of technical capabilities necessary to run
effective programs.
OSM provides technical outreach to States and Indian tribes in a
multi-disciplinary approach to solve problems related to the
environmental effects of coal mining. OSM provides daily informal
assistance to States and Indian tribes. It also conducts technical
studies on mining related problems and shares the results with them.
This business line provides the resources necessary to operate the
Technical Information Processing system. This business line also funds
OSM's technical training program by providing an ongoing formal
educational program to increase the technical competence of OSM, State
and Tribal personnel. It also funds COALEX, a computer assisted library
search service, used to aid regulatory authorities by providing legal
information on SMCRA, its implementing regulations and State regulatory
information.
Training--The training program activity provides technical
assistance to State, Tribal and OSM personnel by developing,
conducting, evaluating, and/or coordinating all OSM training
activities.
Technical Assistance--The technical assistance program activity
addresses technical problems which arise during implementing of SMCRA.
This includes assistance and advice to State, Tribal, and OSM personnel
on specific issues related to Titles IV and V of SMCRA, and current and
effective methodology on mining and reclamation. This program area also
includes the operation and maintenance of the Technical Information
Processing System (TIPS), technical input for State program evaluation,
assistance/testimony in court cases/hearings, preparation of technical
studies, and interaction/coordination with other agencies on technical
issues.
Technology Transfer--The technology transfer program activity
provides assistance to customers in the understanding of SMCRA and in
the dissemination of technical methods of achieve the requirements of
SMCRA. This includes participation in technical meetings, interactive
forums, and workshops; providing displays and speakers for conferences/
seminars; and providing access and maintenance to information systems
such as COALEX/LEXIS.
To assist us prioritize these business lines and program activities
we have scheduled a public meeting on the fiscal year 1997 budget in
Washington, D.C. Refer to DATES and ADDRESSES for the time, date and
location for the meeting. The meeting will continue until everyone has
had an opportunity to be heard. We will not prepare a formal transcript
of the meeting, nor do we plan to provide formal responses to the
written comments. We hope that this will facilitate dialogue in the
interactive forum.
Any disabled individual who needs special accommodation to attend
the public meeting should contact the individual listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Dated: September 29, 1995.
Robert Uram,
Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement.
[FR Doc. 95-24897 Filed 10-5-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M
