Draft Environmental Impact Statement, OSM-EIS-29

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Draft Environmental Impact Statement, OSM-EIS-29

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

ACTION: Extension of Comment Period of Draft Environmental Impact

Statement.

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SUMMARY: On January 31, 1997, (62 FR 4759), the Environmental

Protection Agency made available for public comment an Office of

Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) revised Draft

Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) analyzing the potential impacts

to the permanent program regulations implementing and interpreting

section 522(e) of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of

1977 (SMCRA). As a result of requests received, OSM is extending the

comment period for the DEIS.

DATES: Electronic or written comments: OSM will accept electronic or

written comments on the DEIS until 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on August 1,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Electronic or written comments: Submit electronic comments

to [email protected]. Mail written comments to the Administrative

Record, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 1951

Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20240 or hand-deliver to Room

117 at the above address.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Andy DeVito, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S.

Department of the Interior, 1951 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington,

D.C. 20240; Telephone (202) 208-2701; E-Mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On January 31, 1997 (62 FR 4759), OSM made

available for public comment a DEIS analyzing the impact of two

proposed rules and the alternatives under consideration, dealing with

the interpretation and implementation of section 522(e) of SMCRA. Both

proposed rules were published on January 31, 1997 (62 FR 4836-72). The

first rule, RIN 1029-AB42, would amend OSM's regulations to redefine

the circumstances under which a person has valid existing rights to

conduct surface coal mining operations in areas where such operations

are otherwise prohibited by section 522(e) of SMCRA. The second rule,

RIN 1029-AB82, is a proposed interpretative rulemaking to address the

question of whether subsidence due to underground mining is a surface

coal mining operation and thus prohibited in areas enumerated in

section 522(e) of SMCRA.

The comment period was scheduled to close on June 2, 1997. In order

to accommodate several requests for an extension of the public comment

period, OSM is extending the comment period until 5 p.m. Eastern time

on August 1, 1997.

Under separate Federal Register Notice the public comment period

for the proposed rules and draft economic analysis is also being

extended until 5 p.m. Eastern time on August 1, 1997.

Dated: May 27, 1997.

Mary Josie Blanchard,

Assistant Director, Program Support.

[FR Doc. 97-14163 Filed 5-29-97; 8:45 am]

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