[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 248 (Thursday, December 27, 2001)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66743-66747]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-31683]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

30 CFR Part 915

[IA-012-FOR]


Iowa Regulatory Program

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

ACTION: Final rule; approval of amendment.

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SUMMARY: We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 
(OSM), are approving an amendment to the Iowa regulatory program (Iowa 
program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 
(SMCRA or the Act). The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land 
Stewardship, Division of Soil Conservation, Mines and Minerals Bureau 
(Division or Iowa) proposed revisions to its April 1999 revegetation 
success guidelines concerning normal husbandry practices; minimum 
planting arrangements and tree and shrub stocking requirements for 
recreational, wildlife, and forested lands; and criteria for dry weight 
determinations for corn, soybean, oat, and wheat crops. Iowa intends to 
revise its program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal 
regulations.

EFFECTIVE DATE: December 27, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John W. Coleman, Office of Surface 
Mining, Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center, Alton Federal 
Building, 501 Belle Street, Alton, Illinois 62002. Telephone: (618) 
463-6460.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background on the Iowa Program
II. Submission of the Amendment
III. OSM's Findings
IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments
V. OSM's Decision
VI. Procedural Determinations

I. Background on the Iowa Program

    Section 503(a) of the Act permits a State to assume primacy for the 
regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on non-
Federal and non-Indian lands within its borders by demonstrating that 
its program includes, among other things, `` * * * a State law which 
provides for the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation 
operations in accordance with the requirements of this Act * * *; and 
rules and regulations consistent with regulations issued by the 
Secretary pursuant to this Act.'' See 30 U.S.C. 1253(a)(1) and (7). On 
the basis of these criteria, the Secretary of the Interior 
conditionally approved the Iowa program on January 21, 1981. You can 
find background information on the Iowa program, including the 
Secretary's findings, the disposition of comments, and the conditions 
of approval in the January 21, 1981, Federal Register (46 FR 5885). You 
can find later actions on the Iowa program at 30 CFR 915.10, 915.15, 
and 915.16.

II. Submission of the Amendment

    By letter dated August 17, 2001 (Administrative Record No. IA-446), 
Iowa sent us an amendment to its program under SMCRA and the Federal 
regulations at 30 CFR 732.17(b). Iowa sent the amendment in response to 
required program amendments at 30 CFR 915.16(b), (d), and (e). Iowa 
proposed changes to its April 1999 revegetation success guidelines 
entitled ``Revegetation Success Standards and Statistically Valid 
Sampling Techniques.''
    We announced receipt of the amendment in the September 24, 2001, 
Federal Register (66 FR 48841). In the same document, we opened the 
public comment period and provided an opportunity for a public hearing 
or meeting on the adequacy of the amendment. The public comment period 
closed on October 24, 2001. We did not receive any comments. Because no 
one requested a public hearing or meeting, we did not hold one.
    During our review of the amendment, we identified concerns about a 
typographical error in a provision for interseeding at Section 
III.H.4.(c)(ii); the interpretation of the revegetation success 
standards for recreational, wildlife, and forested lands at Section 
IV.E; and the interpretation of the dry weight determination for grain 
samples at Section V.A.2(l). We notified Iowa of the error at Section 
III.H.4.(c)(ii) and explained our interpretation of its provisions at 
Sections IV.E and V.A.2(l) in a letter dated September 12, 2001 
(Administrative Record No. IA-446.3A).
    By letter dated September 28, 2001 (Administrative Record No. IA-
446.5), Iowa agreed to correct the typographical error and concurred 
with our interpretation of its provisions at Sections IV.E and 
V.A.2(l).

III. OSM's Findings

    This section contains our findings concerning the amendment to the 
Iowa program. We are making these findings in accordance with the 
criteria and procedural requirements of the Federal regulations at 30 
CFR 732.15 and 732.17. Any revisions that we do not discuss below are 
minor wording changes or revised cross-references and paragraph 
notations to reflect organizational changes resulting from this 
amendment.

A. Normal Husbandry Practices

    Section III, Part H of Iowa's April 1999 revegetation success 
guidelines describes normal husbandry practices that a permittee can 
use in the repair of rills and gullies without restarting the 
responsibility period for successful revegetation and bond liability. A 
permittee may address rill and gully erosion within the permit or 
partial permit area without restarting the responsibility period only 
if repairs are completed using the normal husbandry practice guidelines 
provided in this section. If the repair work requires augmented 
seeding, fertilization, or irrigation, the period of responsibility 
will restart. Normal husbandry practices do not include any temporary 
erosion control structures, such as silt fencing, straw, or hay bale 
dikes. This section includes requirements for terrace repair and 
maintenance; riprap repair and maintenance; land smoothing and 
reseeding; and liming, fertilizing, and interseeding.
    The Federal regulations at 30 CFR 816.116(c)(4) for surface mining 
operations and 30 CFR 817.116(c)(4) for underground mining operations 
allow the regulatory authority, under specified conditions, to approve 
selective husbandry practices (excluding augmented seeding, 
fertilization, or irrigation) without extending the period of 
responsibility for revegetation success and bond liability. The 
regulatory authority must obtain prior approval from OSM in accordance 
with 30 CFR 732.17 that the practices are normal

[[Page 66744]]

husbandry practices that can either be expected to continue as part of 
the postmining land use or will not reduce the probability of permanent 
revegetation success if the practices are discontinued after the 
responsibility period expires. Approved practices must be normal 
husbandry practices within the region for unmined lands having land 
uses similar to the approved postmining land use of the disturbed area. 
In the September 7, 1988, preamble for the Federal regulations at 30 
CFR 816.116(c)(4) and 817.116(c)(4), we discussed the type of 
documentation that the regulatory authority must submit to support its 
proposed normal husbandry practices (53 FR 34641). The regulatory 
authority must submit documentation that demonstrates that the practice 
is the usual or expected state, form, amount, or degree of management 
performed habitually or customarily to prevent exploitation, 
destruction, or neglect of the resource and to maintain a prescribed 
level of use or productivity on similar unmined lands. The 
documentation may include either conservation practice guidelines or 
agronomy guidelines and fact sheets for the management of unmined lands 
in the applicable State. The guidelines and fact sheets could be those 
distributed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) or 
other organizations with similar expertise in management of a State's 
natural resources, including agricultural lands.
    In our final rule dated November 26, 1999, we did not approve 
Section III, Part H because Iowa did not submit documentation that 
demonstrated that the proposed normal husbandry practices were the 
usual or expected state, form, amount, or degree of management 
performed habitually or customarily to prevent exploitation, 
destruction, or neglect of the resources on similar unmined lands in 
the State (64 FR 66385). We required Iowa to either remove its 
guidelines for normal husbandry practices at Section III, Part H or 
submit documentation that supports the proposed normal husbandry 
practices. We codified this requirement at 30 CFR 915.16(b).
    In response to the required program amendment at 30 CFR 915.16(b), 
Iowa made changes to Section III, Part H and submitted documentation 
for support of the proposed normal husbandry practices. The 
documentation included copies of five publications: (1) NRCS 
Conservation Practice Standard 600, Terrace; (2) NRCS Conservation 
Practice Standard 468, Lined Waterway or Outlet; (3) NRCS Conservation 
Practice Standard 466, Land Smoothing; (4) NRCS Conservation Practice 
Standard 590, Nutrient Management; and (5) Iowa State University 
Extension Service Publication Pm-1097, Interseeding and No-till Pasture 
Renovation. Based on the findings below, we are approving Iowa's normal 
husbandry practice guidelines at Section III, Part H and removing the 
required program amendment at 30 CFR 915.16(b).
    1. Part H.1 provides that terrace repair and maintenance required 
because of specified occurrences will be considered normal husbandry 
practices and will not require restarting the responsibility period. 
First, the permittee may repair terraces damaged because of rainfall 
events that exceed their designed capacities. Second, the permittee may 
clean out and reestablish terrace flow lines during the first year or 
two after the initial terrace construction and seeding when sediment 
deposition into a terrace flow line exceeds the designed sediment 
storage capacity. Third, the permittee may clean out and reestablish 
terrace flow lines and repair or replace tile lines that have been 
plugged or crushed due to differential settling. Part H.1 includes a 
listing of the types of terrace repair and maintenance options that the 
State will consider as normal husbandry practices. Iowa submitted NRCS 
Conservation Practice Standard 600 (Terrace) to support these 
practices.
    Based on the supporting documentation provided by Iowa, we find 
that the proposed guidelines for terrace repair and maintenance at Part 
H.1 meet the requirements of the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 
816.116(c)(4) and 817.116(c)(4) for normal husbandry practices.
    2. Part H.2 provides guidelines for riprap repair and maintenance 
on ditches and structures due to storm events that exceed the maximum 
design standard. Part H.2 includes a listing of the types of riprap 
repair and maintenance practices that Iowa will consider for normal 
husbandry practices. Iowa submitted NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 
468 (Lined Waterway or Outlet) to support these practices.
    Based on the supporting documentation provided by Iowa, we find 
that the proposed guidelines for riprap repair and maintenance on 
ditches and structures at Part H.2 meet the requirements of the Federal 
regulations at 30 CFR 816.116(c)(4) and 817.116(c)(4) for normal 
husbandry practices.
    3. Part H.3 provides that normal husbandry practices can include 
limited land smoothing and reseeding as long as the individual areas 
are no larger than one acre in size and the cumulative acreage is no 
greater than 10 percent of the entire permit area. Iowa submitted NRCS 
Conservation Practice Standard 466 (Land Smoothing) to support these 
practices.
    Based on the supporting documentation and the acreage limitations 
provided by Iowa, we find that Iowa's proposed guidelines for land 
smoothing and reseeding at Part H.3 meet the requirements of the 
Federal regulations at 30 CFR 816.116(c)(4) and 817.116(c)(4) for 
normal husbandry practices.
    4. Part H.4 provides normal husbandry practices for applications of 
lime and fertilizer at paragraphs (a) and (b). It also provides normal 
husbandry practices for interseeding at paragraph (c).
    Part H.4(a) and (b) provide, respectively, that lime and fertilizer 
applications may be made based on soil test recommendations for the 
appropriate crop or vegetation. Before any lime and fertilizer 
applications, the permittee must submit to the Division the original 
copies of the soil test recommendations and a map of the permit areas 
indicating where each soil sample was taken. Iowa requires the 
permittee to follow the lime and fertilizer maintenance application 
guidelines of NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 590 (Nutrient 
Management). For lime and fertilizer applications, the permittee must 
submit the original weight tickets for the applications to the Division 
at the times specified in section III, part B.3. If subsequent 
submittals of lime and fertilizer weight tickets prove that actual 
applications were in excess of the soil test recommendations, Iowa will 
restart the responsibility period. Iowa submitted NRCS Conservation 
Practice Standard 590 (Nutrient Management) to support its normal 
husbandry practice guidelines for liming and fertilizing.
    Part H.4(c) requires the Division to approve any species to be 
interseeded before the seed is planted. The permittee must submit the 
original seed tickets to the Division at the times specified in Section 
III, Part B.3. Iowa will restart the responsibility period if any 
interseeding completed on the permit area fails to meet any of the 
criteria listed below.

    (i) Interseeding of a legume on the third year of a grass/legume 
vegetative cover.
    (ii) Interseeding of a single species in the permit approved 
seeding mixture, or interseeding of a replacement species, that has 
been approved by the Division, to improve the vegetative cover when 
unfavorable weather conditions adversely

[[Page 66745]]

affect the germination success of the original revegetation effort.
    (iii) Interseeding of a species due to excessive winter kill.

    Iowa submitted Iowa State University Extension Service Publication 
Pm-1097 (Interseeding and No-till Pasture Renovation) to support its 
normal husbandry practice guidelines for interseeding.
    Based on the documentation submitted by Iowa, we find that the 
proposed guidelines for liming, fertilizing, and interseeding at Part 
H.4 meet the requirements of the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 
816.116(c)(4) and 817.116(c)(4) for normal husbandry practices.

B. Recreational, Wildlife, and Forested Lands

    Section IV, Part E of Iowa's April 1999 revegetation success 
guidelines contains the revegetation success standards for recreational 
areas, wildlife areas, and forested lands. In our final rule dated 
November 26, 1999, we approved section IV, part E with two exceptions 
(64 FR 66388). First, Iowa's guidelines did not contain any planting 
arrangement provisions for these land uses as required by 30 CFR 
816.116(b)(3)(i) and 817.116(b)(3)(i). Second, Iowa did not submit any 
documentation to prove that the State agencies responsible for the 
administration of forestry and wildlife programs approved its minimum 
stocking provisions as required by 30 CFR 816.116(b)(3)(i) and 
817.116(b)(3)(i). We required Iowa to either add planting arrangement 
provisions for recreational, wildlife, and forested land to its 
guidelines and obtain program-wide concurrence from the State agencies 
responsible for the administration of forestry and wildlife programs or 
add a provision to its guidelines that requires permit-specific 
concurrence for planting arrangements from the State agencies 
responsible for the administration of forestry and wildlife programs. 
We also required Iowa to either obtain program-wide concurrence for its 
minimum stocking provisions or add a provision to its guidelines that 
requires permit-specific concurrence for minimum stocking from the 
State agencies responsible for the administration of forestry and 
wildlife programs. We codified these requirements at 30 CFR 
915.16(d)(1) and (2).
    Iowa made the following changes to section IV, part E to address 
these requirements.
    1. Iowa added the following new provision to the beginning of the 
second paragraph of section IV, part E:

    The wildlife and recreational lands have site specific 
vegetation. Each permit with these types of post-mining land use 
have been approved by the Division in concurrence with the Iowa 
Department of Natural Resources.

    We are interpreting the language of this provision to mean that 
Iowa requires permit specific concurrence from the Iowa Department of 
Natural Resources for both planting arrangements and stocking rates for 
recreational, wildlife, and forested land uses. In its letter dated 
September 28, 2001, Iowa agreed with our interpretation (Administrative 
Record No. IA-446.5). Based on this interpretation, we find that 
section IV, part E is no less effective than the Federal regulations at 
30 CFR 816.116(b)(3)(i) and 817.116(b)(3)(i). We are also removing the 
required program amendments at 30 CFR 915.16(d)(1) and (2).
    2. Iowa added the following new provision for tree and shrub 
stocking requirements at Section IV, Part E, Step 2:

    The tree and shrub planting shall be spaced such that there are 
a minimum of five hundred (500) seedlings per acre. Acceptable tree 
and shrub spacing, which will meet or exceed the minimum number of 
seedlings per acre, are listed below. Narrower spacing is used for 
timber production. Wider spacing and planting in groups or clumps is 
used for wildlife and recreational tree and shrub plantings. These 
group or clump plantings should consist of a minimum of five (5) or 
more trees, and fifteen (15) or more shrubs per group.


 
                   Tree and Shrub Spacing for Planting
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                              Number of
                      Spacing in feet                         seedlings
                                                               per acre
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 x 5......................................................        1,742
5 x 10.....................................................          871
6 x 6......................................................        1,210
6 x 10.....................................................          726
7 x 7......................................................          889
7 x 10.....................................................          622
8 x 8......................................................          681
8  x  10...................................................          545
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    We find that this provision provides additional guidance to 
permittees for addressing planting arrangements and stocking rates for 
recreational, wildlife, and forested land uses in their permits. As 
discussed above, Iowa requires permit specific concurrence from the 
Iowa Department of Natural Resources for both planting arrangements and 
stocking rates for these land uses. Therefore, we find that Section 
IV.E.2 is no less effective than the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 
816.116(b)(3)(i) and 817.116(b)(3)(i).

C. Corn, Soybean, Oat, and Wheat Crops

    Section V of Iowa's April 1999 revegetation success guidelines 
contains sampling procedures and techniques to determine productivity 
for corn, soybeans, oats, wheat, and forage crops; to determine ground 
cover percentage; and to determine if trees and shrubs meet minimum 
density standards. In our final rule dated November 26, 1999, we 
approved Section V of Iowa's April 1999 revegetation success guidelines 
with one exception (64 FR 66388). We did not fully approve Section V, 
Part A, Step 2, which contains the grain sampling techniques for test 
plot harvesting, because it did not specify how the permittee is to 
obtain the dry weight of the test plot grain samples. The dry weight is 
used in a calculation to determine the moisture percentage for each 
test plot sample. We required Iowa to revise its April 1999 
revegetation success guidelines at Section V, Part A, Step 2 by adding 
a provision that specifies the standard method that permittees are to 
use for obtaining the dry weight of test plot grain samples. We 
codified this requirement at 30 CFR 915.16(e).
    In response to the required amendment at 30 CFR 915.16(e), Iowa 
added the following new provision to the beginning of Step 2(l):

    (l) The grain samples collected and labeled in Step 2.g. above 
must be oven dried until a constant dry weight is obtained. Weighing 
will be performed immediately after oven drying to avoid absorption 
of water from humid air. This dry weight will equal zero percent 
(0%) moisture. All samples will be adjusted to the appropriate 
percent moisture for that grain.

    We interpret the first sentence of Iowa's new provision to mean 
that the permittees must use the standard air-oven method to obtain dry 
weights. The air-oven method is recognized by the United States 
Department of Agriculture as a means of determining the moisture 
content of grain. In its letter dated September 28, 2001, Iowa agreed 
with our interpretation (Administrative Record No. IA-446.5). Based on 
Iowa's concurrence with our interpretation, we are approving Section V, 
Part A, Step 2(l) and removing the required amendment at 30 CFR 
915.16(e).

IV. Summary and Disposition of Comments

Federal Agency Comments

    On August 30, 2001, under section 503(b) of SMCRA and 30 CFR 
732.17(h)(11)(i) of the Federal

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regulations, we requested comments on the amendment from various 
Federal agencies with an actual or potential interest in the Iowa 
program (Administrative Record No. IA-446.1A). We did not receive any 
comments.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

    Under 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(ii), we are required to obtain the 
written concurrence of the EPA for those provisions of the program 
amendment that relate to air or water quality standards issued under 
the authority of the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.) or the 
Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.). None of the revisions that Iowa 
proposed to make in this amendment pertain to air or water quality 
standards. Therefore, we did not ask the EPA for its concurrence.
    Under 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(i), we requested comments on the 
amendment from the EPA (Administrative Record No. IA-446.1A). The EPA 
did not respond to our request.

State Historical Preservation Officer (SHPO) and the Advisory Council 
on Historic Preservation (ACHP)

    Under 30 CFR 732.17(h)(4), we are required to request comments from 
the SHPO and ACHP on amendments that may have an effect on historic 
properties. On August 31, 2001, we requested comments on Iowa's 
amendment (Administrative Record No. IA-446.2A), but we received no 
response to our request.

Public Comments

    We requested public comments on the proposed amendment, but we did 
not receive any.

V. OSM's Decision

    Based on the above findings, we approve the amendment as sent to us 
by Iowa on August 17, 2001.
    To implement this decision, we are amending the Federal regulations 
at 30 CFR Part 915, which codify decisions concerning the Iowa program. 
We find that good cause exists under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make this 
final rule effective immediately. Section 503(a) of SMCRA requires that 
the State's program demonstrate that the State has the capability of 
carrying out the provisions of the Act and meeting its purposes. Making 
this rule effective immediately will expedite that process.

VI. Procedural Determinations

Executive Order 12866--Regulatory Planning and Review

    This rule is exempt from review by the Office of Management and 
Budget under Executive Order 12866.

Executive Order 12630--Takings

    This rule does not have takings implications. This determination is 
based on the analysis performed for the counterpart Federal 
regulations.

Executive Order 13132--Federalism

    This rule does not have federalism implications. SMCRA delineates 
the roles of the Federal and State governments with regard to the 
regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations. One of 
the purposes of SMCRA is to ``establish a nationwide program to protect 
society and the environment from the adverse effects of surface coal 
mining operations.'' Section 503(a)(1) of SMCRA requires that State 
laws regulating surface coal mining and reclamation operations be ``in 
accordance with'' the requirements of SMCRA, and section 503(a)(7) 
requires that State programs contain rules and regulations ``consistent 
with'' regulations issued by the Secretary under SMCRA.

Executive Order 12988--Civil Justice Reform

    The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required 
by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 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 because each 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.

Executive Order 13211--Regulations That Significantly Affect the 
Supply, Distribution, or Use of Energy

    On May 18, 2001, the President issued Executive Order 13211 which 
requires agencies to prepare a Statement of Energy Effects for a rule 
that is (1) considered significant under Executive Order 12866 and (2) 
likely to have a significant adverse effect on the supply, 
distribution, or use of energy. Because this rule is exempt from review 
under Executive Order 12866 and is not expected to have a significant 
adverse effect on the supply, distribution, or use of energy, a 
Statement of Energy Effects is not required.

National Environmental Policy Act

    Section 702(d) of SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1292(d)) provides that a 
decision on a proposed State regulatory program provision does not 
constitute a major Federal action within the meaning of section 
102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 
4332(2)(C)). A determination has been made that such decisions are 
categorically excluded from the NEPA process (516 DM 8.4.A).

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This rule does not contain information collection requirements that 
require approval by the Office of Management and Budget 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 
counterpart 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 counterpart Federal regulations.

Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act

    This rule is not a major rule under 5 U.S.C. 804(2), the Small 
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act. This rule:
    a. Does not have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million.
    b. Will not cause a major increase in costs or prices for 
consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government 
agencies, or geographic regions.
    c. Does not have significant adverse effects on competition, 
employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of 
U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
    This determination is based upon the fact that the State submittal 
which is the

[[Page 66747]]

subject of this rule is based upon counterpart Federal regulations for 
which an analysis was prepared and a determination made that the 
Federal regulation was not considered a major rule.

Unfunded Mandates

    This rule will not impose a cost of $100 million or more in any 
given year on any governmental entity or the private sector.

List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 915

    Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.

    Dated: December 4, 2001.
Richard J. Seibel,
Regional Director, Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center.


    For the reasons set out in the preamble, 30 CFR Part 915 is amended 
as set forth below:

PART 915--IOWA

    1. The authority citation for Part 915 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.

    2. Section 915.15 is amended in the table by adding a new entry in 
chronological order by ``Date of final publication'' to read as 
follows:


Sec. 915.15  Approval of Iowa regulatory program amendments.

* * * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Original amendment submission    Date of final
             date                  publication      Citation/description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
*                  *                  *                  *
                  *                  *                  *
August 17, 2001...............  December 27, 2001  Sections III.H, IV.E,
                                                    and V.A.2(l) of
                                                    Iowa's April 1999
                                                    Revegetation Success
                                                    Standards and
                                                    Statistically Valid
                                                    Sampling Techniques.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


    3. Section 915.16 is amended by removing and reserving paragraphs 
(b), (d), and (e).

[FR Doc. 01-31683 Filed 12-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P