[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 1995)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14401-14403]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-6591]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
30 CFR Part 935

[OH-233; Amendment Number 69R]


Ohio Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Proposed rule; reopening and extension of public comment 
period.

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SUMMARY: OSM is reopening the public comment period for a revised 
amendment to the Ohio regulatory program (hereinafter referred to as 
the Ohio program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act 
of 1977. This revised amendment was initiated by Ohio and is intended 
to make the Ohio program as effective as the corresponding Federal 
regulations concerning filing of financial interest statements, 
acceptance of gifts and gratuities, and appeal procedures for 
[[Page 14402]] remedial actions regarding prohibited financial 
interests.
    This document sets forth the times and locations that the Ohio 
program and the proposed amendment to that program will be available 
for public inspection, the comment period during which interested 
persons may submit written comments on the proposed amendment, and the 
procedures that will be followed regarding the public hearing, if one 
is requested.

DATES: Written comments must be received by 4:00 p.m. [E.S.T.], on 
April 3, 1995. If requested, a public hearing on the proposed 
amendments will be held at 1:00 p.m. [E.S.T.], on March 27, 1995. 
Requests to present oral testimony at the hearing must be received by 4 
p.m. [E.S.T.], on March 24, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and requests to testify at the hearing 
should be mailed or hand-delivered to Mr. Robert H. Mooney, Acting 
Director, Columbus Field Office, at the address listed below.
    Copies of the Ohio program, the proposed amendment, and all written 
comments received in response to this document will be available for 
public review at the addresses listed below during normal business 
hours, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Each requester may 
receive one free copy of the proposed amendment by contacting OSM's 
Columbus Field Office.

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Columbus Field 
Office, 4480 Refugee Road, Suite 201, Columbus, Ohio 43232, Telephone: 
(614) 866-0578
Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation, 1855 
Fountain Square Court, Building H-3, Columbus, Ohio 43224, Telephone: 
(614) 265-6675.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert H. Mooney, Acting Director, Columbus Field Office, (614) 
866-0578.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background on the Ohio Program

    On August 16, 1982, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally 
approved the Ohio program. General background information on the Ohio 
program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of 
comments, and a detailed explanation of the conditions of approval of 
the Ohio program, can be found in the August 10, 1982, Federal Register 
(47 FR 34688). Subsequent actions concerning Ohio's program and program 
amendments are identified at 30 CFR 935.11, 935.12, 935.15, and
935.16.

II. Proposed Amendment

    The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Reclamation 
(Ohio) submitted proposed Program Amendment Number 69 (PA 69) by letter 
dated September 22, 1994 (Administrative Record No. OH-2059). In this 
amendment, Ohio proposed to revise two rules at Ohio Administrative 
Code (OAC) sections 1501:13-1-03 and 13-7-05 to make the Ohio program 
as effective as the corresponding Federal regulations concerning 
financial interest statements, appeal procedures for remedial actions 
regarding prohibited financial interests, and yield data for pasture or 
grazing land.
    OSM announced receipt of PA 69 in the October 21, 1994, Federal 
Register (59 FR 53122), and, in the same document, opened the public 
comment period and provided an opportunity for a public hearing on the 
adequacy of the proposed amendment. The public comment period closed on 
November 21, 1994.
    OSM and Ohio staff met on February 6, 1995, to discuss OSM's 
questions and concerns about PA 69 (Administrative Record No. OH-2098). 
In response to OSM's February 6, 1995, questions and comments, Ohio 
provided Revised Program Amendment Number 69 (PA 69R) by letter dated 
March 8, 1995 (Administrative Record No. OH-2099). In PA 69R, Ohio is 
proposing further revisions to one rule at OAC section 1501:13-1-03 as 
described below:
    (1) Ohio Reclamation Board of Review Hearing Officers Included 
Under Definition of ``Employee'': Ohio is further revising paragraph 
(D)(2) to include hearing officers of the Ohio Reclamation Board of 
Review under the definition of ``employee.'' Ohio is also revising 
paragraphs (F)(1), (G)(1), (H), and (L)(3) to delete previously 
proposed separate references to these hearing officers because Ohio is 
now proposing that those hearing officers be included under the 
definition of ``employee'' in this rule.
    (2) Use of Financial Interest Statement Form by Members of the Ohio 
Reclamation Board of Review: Ohio is revising paragraph (I)(1) to 
require members of the Ohio Reclamation Board of Review to report all 
required information concerning employment and financial interests on 
Form OSM-23.
    (3) Acceptance of Gifts and Gratuities by Members of the Ohio 
Reclamation Board of Review: Ohio is revising paragraph (J)(1) to 
prohibit the solicitation or acceptance of gifts and gratuities by 
members of the Ohio Reclamation Board of Review from coal companies 
which are conducting or seeking to conduct regulated activities or 
which have an interest that may be substantially affected by the 
performance of the Board members' official duty.

III. Public Comment Procedures

    In accordance with the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), OSM is now 
seeking comment on whether the amendments proposed by Ohio satisfy the 
applicable program approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If the 
amendments are deemed adequate, they will become part of the Ohio 
program.

Written Comments

    Written comments should be specific, pertain only to the issues 
proposed in this rulemaking, and include explanations in support of the 
commenter's recommendations. Comments received after the time indicated 
under DATES or at locations other than the Columbus Field Office will 
not necessarily be considered in the final rulemaking or included in 
the Administrative Record.

Public Hearing

    Persons wishing to comment at the public hearing should contact the 
person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4:00 p.m. [est], 
on March 24, 1995. If no one requests an opportunity to comment at a 
public hearing, the hearing will not be held. Any disabled individual 
who has need for a special accommodation to attend a public hearing 
should contact the individual listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION 
CONTACT.
    Filing of a written statement at the time of the hearing is 
requested as it will greatly assist the transcriber. Submission of 
written statements in advance of the hearing will allow OSM officials 
to prepare adequate responses and appropriate questions. The public 
hearing will continue on the specified date until all persons scheduled 
to comment have been heard. Persons in the audience who have not been 
scheduled to comment and who wish to do so will be heard following 
those scheduled. The hearing will end after all persons scheduled to 
comment and persons present in the audience who wish to comment have 
been heard.

Public Meeting

    If only one person requests an opportunity to comment at a hearing, 
a public meeting, rather than a public hearing, may be held. Persons 
wishing to meet with OSM representatives to discuss the proposed 
amendments may request a meeting at the Columbus Field 
[[Page 14403]] Office by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT. All such meetings shall be open to the public and, 
if possible, notices of the meetings will be posted at the locations 
listed under ADDRESSES. A written summary of each public meeting will 
be made a part of the Administrative Record.

IV. Procedural Determinations

Executive Order 12866

    This rule is exempted from review by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) under Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Planning and 
Review).

Executive Order 12778

    The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required 
by section 2 of Executive Order 12778 (Civil Justice Reform) and has 
determined that, to the extent allowed by law, this rule meets the 
applicable standards of subsections (a) and (b) of that section. 
However, these standards are not applicable to the actual language of 
State regulatory programs and program amendments since each such 
program is drafted and promulgated by a specific State, not by OSM. 
Under sections 503 and 505 of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1253 and 1255) and 30 
CFR 730.11, 732.15 and 732.17(h)(10), decisions on proposed State 
regulatory programs and program amendments submitted by the States must 
be based solely on a determination of whether the submittal is 
consistent with SMCRA and its implementing Federal regulations and 
whether the other requirements of 30 CFR Parts 730, 731, and 732 have 
been met.

National Environmental Policy Act

    No environmental impact statement is required for this rule since 
section 702(d) of SMCRA [30 U.S.C. 1292(d)] provides that agency 
decisions on proposed State regulatory program provisions do not 
constitute major Federal actions within the meaning of section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)).

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not contain information collection requirements that 
require approval by OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 
3507 et seq.).

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Department of the Interior has determined that this rule will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities under the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.). 
The State submittal which is the subject of this rule is based upon 
corresponding Federal regulations for which an economic analysis was 
prepared and certification made that such regulations would not have a 
significant economic effect upon a substantial number of small 
entities. Accordingly, this rule will ensure that existing requirements 
previously promulgated by OSM will be implemented by the State. In 
making the determination as to whether this rule would have a 
significant economic impact, the Department relied upon the data and 
assumptions for the corresponding Federal regulations.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 935

    Intergovernment relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: March 10, 1995.
Richard J. Seibel,
Acting Assistant Director, Eastern Support Center.
[FR Doc. 95-6591 Filed 3-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-M