Ownership and Control; Redesign

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Parts 773, 778, and 843

RIN 1029-AB94

Ownership and Control; Redesign

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

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of public

comment period and notice of public meetings.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

(OSM), United States Department of the Interior (DOI) published a

notice that it would hold public meetings in order to solicit comments,

concerns, and new ideas regarding the drafting of new ownership or

control, permit information, and improvidently issued permit

regulations to implement certain provisions of the Surface Mining

Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The notice invited written

comments regarding the drafting of these regulations and advised that a

concept/issue paper has been prepared to assist those interested in

commenting or preparing for the meetings. The notice also stated that

OSM would meet with interested persons and accept written comments

through December 15, 1997. OSM is now extending the time during which

written comments may be submitted and announcing the dates and

locations for public meetings.

DATES: Written comments: The date for submitting written comments is

extended until 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on January 16, 1998.

Public Meetings: The period in which to request a meeting is

unchanged. Requests for meetings should be made prior to December 1,

1997. Public meetings have already been scheduled for seven locations.

See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION for the dates, times and locations.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests for concept/issue paper: Hand

deliver or mail to Earl Bandy, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and

Enforcement, AVS Office, 2679 Regency Road, Lexington, Kentucky 40503.

Telephone: (800) 643-9748. E-mail: [email protected].

Telefax: Copies of the concept/issue paper may be obtained from FAX

ON DEMAND by calling 202-219-1703 and following the instructions on the

recorded announcement. The concept/issue paper document code is 3009.

[[Page 63045]]

Public meetings: Upon request OSM staff will be available to meet

with interested persons, individually or in groups, during the comment

period. In addition to public meetings scheduled by request, OSM has

scheduled meetings at seven locations. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

for the dates, times and locations.

For planning purposes, participants must call 1-800-643-9748 to

confirm their attendance. If no confirmations are received for any

location where a meeting has been scheduled, that meeting will not be

held. Any individual who requires special accommodation to attend a

meeting should contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Earl D. Bandy, Jr., Office of Surface

Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 2679 Regency Road, Lexington,

Kentucky 40503. Telephone: (606) 233-2796 or (800) 643-9748. E-mail:

[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On October 29, 1997 (62 FR 56139), OSM

published a notice that it would hold public meetings in order to

solicit comments, concerns, and new ideas regarding the drafting of new

ownership or control, permit information, and improvidently issued

permit regulations to implement certain provisions of the Surface

Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. The notice also invited

written comments regarding the drafting of these regulations and

advised that a concept/issue paper has been prepared to assist those

interested in commenting or preparing for the meetings. The re-design

of these regulations is underway in order to fulfill the commitment

made in the publication of the interim final rules on April 21, 1997

(62 FR 19450). The commitment was to seek public comment on proposed

regulatory changes that would precede final rules adopted to reflect

the January 31, 1997, decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the

District of Columbia Circuit that invalidated previous ownership or

control and related rules.

Public meetings have been scheduled at the following locations on

the dates specified.

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Date Time Location

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12/2/97........................ 9 a.m.-12 noon..................... Holiday Inn South, 5332 Athens-Boonesboro

Road, Lexington, KY.

12/3/97........................ 9 a.m.-12 noon..................... Heart O Town Hotel, 1000 Washington

Street, East, Charleston, WV.

12/4/97........................ 10 a.m.-12 noon.................... OSM Conference Room, 10 Parkway Center,

Building #3, Pittsburgh, PA.

12/5/97........................ 10 a.m.-12 noon.................... OSM Conference Room 220, 1951 Constitution

Ave., NW., Washington, DC.

12/8/97........................ 10 a.m.-12 noon.................... OSM Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 530 Gay

Street, Knoxville, TN.

12/9/97........................ 10 a.m.-12 noon.................... OSM Conference Room, 1st Floor, 501 Belle

Street, Alton, IL.

12/10/97....................... 10 a.m.-12 noon.................... OSM Conference Room, 34th Floor, 1999

Broadway, Denver, CO.

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Dated: November 21, 1997.

Mary Josie Blanchard,

Assistant Director, Program Support.

[FR Doc. 97-31096 Filed 11-25-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-05-M