Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 209 / Wednesday, October 29, 1997 / Proposed Rules 56139

fulfill the export control purposes

behind the regulations, to adhere to

multilateral regime practices, and to

make the regulations easier for the

public to use. BXA is particularly

interested in the comments of those who

have experience classifying items on the

Commerce Control List. Comments

should be as specific as possible.

It may not be possible to write a single

definition that is accurate for all

purposes, but BXA will make its best

effort to respond to the concerns raised

by the public comments.

BXA will consider requests for

confidential treatment. The information

for which confidential treatment is

requested should be submitted to BXA

separately from any non-confidential

information submitted. The top of each

page should be marked with the term

‘‘Confidential Information.’’ If the

submission fails to meet the standards

for confidential treatment, BXA will

return it. A non-confidential summary

must accompany such submissions of

confidential information. The summary

will be made available for public

inspection.

Information accepted by BXA as

confidential will be protected from

public disclosure to the extent

permitted by law. Communications

between agencies of the United States

Government or with foreign

governments will not be made available

for public inspection.

All other information relating to the

notice will be a matter of public record

and will be available for public

inspection and copying. In the interest

of accuracy and completeness, BXA

requires written comments. Oral

comments must be followed by written

memoranda, which will also be a matter

of public record and will be available

for public review and copying.

The public record concerning these

comments will be maintained in the

Freedom of Information Records

Inspection Facility, Room 4525, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 14th Street

and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC. 20230. Records in this

facility, including written public

comments and memoranda

summarizing the substance of oral

communications, may be inspected and

copied in accordance with regulations

published in part 4 of Title 15 of the

Code of Federal Regulations.

Information about inspection and

copying of records at this facility may be

obtained from Margaret Cornejo, BXA

Freedom of Information Officer, at the

above address or by calling (202) 482–

2593.

Dated: October 20, 1997.

William V. Skidmore,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Export

Administration.

[FR Doc. 97–28649 Filed 10–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–33–P

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: Advanced notice of proposed

rulemaking; notice of public meetings.

SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining

Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM)

will hold, upon request, meetings to

solicit comments, concerns, and new

ideas regarding the drafting of new

ownership and control, permit

information and improvidently issued

permits regulations.

OSM also invites written comments

regarding the drafting of these

regulations. A concept/issue paper has

been prepared to assist those interested

in commenting or preparing for the

meetings. The paper is a compilation of

concepts and issues currently under

consideration; however, OSM is not

limited to those listed and encourages

new concepts or ideas for consideration.

DATES: Written comments OSM will

accept written comments until 5:00

p.m., Eastern Time on December 15,

1997.

Public meetings: OSM will meet with

interested persons upon request to

solicit comments on the drafting of the

new regulations until December 15,

1997. In order to make proper

arrangements for meetings, request for

meetings should be made prior to

December 1, 1997.

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; Email:ebandy@osmre.gov.

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.

Public meetings: Upon request OSM

staff will be available to meet with

interested persons, individually or in

groups, during the comment period in

the following locations: Lexington,

Kentucky; Washington, D.C.; Knoxville,

Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;

Alton, Illinois; and Denver, Colorado.

Any individual who requires special

accommodation to attend a meeting

should also contact the person listed

under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Earl Bandy, Office of Surface Mining

Reclamation and Enforcement, 2679

Regency Road, Lexington, Kentucky

40503; Telephone (606) 233–2796 or

(800) 643–9748. E-mail:

ebandy@osmre.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April

21, 1997 (62 FR 19450), OSM issued

interim final regulations regarding 30

CFR Parts 773, 778 and 843—

Ownership and Control; Permit

Application Process; Improvidently

Issued Permits. This action was taken in

response to a decision by the U.S. Court

of Appeals for the District of Columbia

Circuit invalidating the previous rules

as being inconsistent with Section

510(c) of the Surface Mining Control

and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA

or the Act). In issuing these interim final

regulations, OSM invoked the ‘‘good

cause’’ exemption of the Administrative

Procedure Act (APA) at 5 U.S.C.

553(b)(3)(B). This provision allows an

agency to issue a rule without prior

notice or opportunity for public

comment ‘‘when the agency for good

cause finds (and incorporates the

finding and a brief statement of the

reasons therefor in the rules issued) that

notice and public procedure thereon are

impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary

to the public interest.’’ OSM invoked

the APA ‘‘good cause’’ exemption for

the reasons described in the preamble to

the interim final regulations (62 FR

19451–19452). In doing so, OSM stated

that the rules were intended to be

interim and that it would seek public

comment on any resulting proposed

regulatory changes.

In order to fulfill this commitment,

OSM is seeking to involve the public in

advance of developing a proposed rule.

OSM will follow standard procedures

by seeking comments and holding

public hearings on the proposed rules

when they are published in the Federal

Register.

Dated: October 21, 1997.

Mary Josie Blanchard,

Assistant Director, Program Support.

[FR Doc. 97–28486 Filed 10–28–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310–05–M