Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2001/08/20/01-20903/virginia-regulatory-program
Timestamp: 2017-01-24 21:48:06
Document Index: 754171475

Matched Legal Cases: ['§\u20093', 'art 946', 'art1', 'art 946', 'art2', '§\u2009946', 'art3', '§\u2009946', '§\u2009946', 'art4']

A Rule by the Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office on 08/20/2001
66 FR 43480
43480-43483
01-20903
4 VAC 25-130-700.5. Definitions
4 VAC 25-130-800.21. Collateral bonds VAC 25-130-800.21(c) and (d)
Executive Order 13211—Regulations That Significantly Affect the Supply, Distribution, or Use of Energy National Environmental Policy Act
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/01-20903
OSM is approving, with two exceptions, an amendment to the Virginia permanent regulatory program (hereinafter referred to as the Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). The program amendment consists of changes to the Virginia Surface Mining Reclamation Regulations concerning letters of credit. The amendment is intended to revise the Virginia program to be consistent with the corresponding Federal regulations.
Section 503(a) of SMCRA 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 the Act. * * *” and “rules and regulations consistent with regulations issued by the Secretary” pursuant to SMCRA. 30 U.S.C. 1253(a)(1) and (7). On the basis of these criteria, the Secretary of the Interior conditionally approved the Virginia program on December 15, 1981. You can find background information on the Virginia program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of comments, and the conditions of Start Printed Page 43481approval in the December 15, 1981, Federal Register (46 FR 61085-61115). You can find later actions on conditions of approval and program amendments at 30 CFR 946.11, 946.12, 946.13, 946.15, and 946.16.
On May 3, 1999, OSM approved an amendment to the Virginia program which amended the Virginia Coal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act by adding “letter of credit” as an acceptable form of collateral bond to satisfy the performance bonding requirements of the Virginia Act. In our approval of the Virginia amendment, we required that the Virginia program regulations be revised to be no less effective than the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.5(b), and 30 CFR 800.21(b)(2) concerning letters of credit. We codified this requirement at 30 CFR 946.16(a). The amendment submitted by Virginia is intended to satisfy this required amendment.
We announced receipt of the proposed rulemaking in the October 4, 2000, Federal Register (65 FR 59152), invited public comment, and provided an opportunity for a public hearing on the adequacy of the proposed amendment. The public comment period closed on November 3, 2000. We received three comment letters from Federal agencies. No one requested to speak at a public hearing, so no hearing was held.
Set forth below, pursuant to SMCRA and the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 732.15 and 732.17, are the Director's findings concerning the proposed amendments to the Virginia program. Only the substantive changes submitted by Virginia will be discussed below.
This new language is substantively identical to the Federal definition of “Collateral bond” at 30 CFR 800.5(b)(4), with two exceptions. Virginia uses the phrase “at sight” while the Federal rule says “upon presentation.” Ballentine's Law Dictionary, 3d ed., defines “at sight” to mean “on presentment; on being shown the instrument.” Therefore, Virginia's use of the phrase “at sight” is no less effective than 30 CFR 800.5(b)(4). The new State language also requires that irrevocable letters of credit be prepared in accordance with the Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits (1993 revision or the UCP revision current at the time of issuance of the letter of credit) International Chamber of Commerce (Publication No. 500). The Uniform Customs and Practices for Documentary Credits was created by the International Chamber of Commerce and is used in the United States as well as many other countries. The UCP defines the liabilities and responsibilities of banks, the relationship of letters of credits with other documents as well as various other provisions. We find that the incorporation by reference to the 1993 UCP is not inconsistent with the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.5(b)(4) and can be approved. However we are not approving the phrase, “or the UCP revision current at the time of issuance of the letter of credit.” We are not approving this language because we cannot approve future revisions without reviewing the revisions and understanding their effects on the Virginia program and whether they would render the Virginia program less effective.
4 VAC 25-130-800.21. Collateral bonds This provision is amended by revising paragraph (a) by adding the phrase “except for letters of credit” in the introductory sentence, adding a new paragraph (c), and re-lettering existing paragraph (c) as paragraph (d).
(a) Collateral bonds, except for letters of credit, shall be subject to the following conditions: The division shall * * *
The counterpart Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.21(a), concerning collateral bonds, contains this same phrase. We find that the words “except for letters of credit” have the same effect in the Virginia program as they do in the counterpart Federal regulations. We find, therefore, that the State amendment does not render the Virginia program less effective than the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.21(a) and can be approved.
VAC 25-130-800.21(c) and (d)
These provisions have been amended to read as follows.
We find that the new language at 4 VAC 25-130-800.21(c) is substantively identical to the counterpart Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.21(b) concerning collateral bonds, letters of credit, with the following two exceptions. Virginia uses the phrase “at sight” while the Federal rule says “upon demand.” Virginia's Commercial Code at § 3-108, states that an instrument payable on demand include those payable at sight or on demand. Therefore, Virginia's use of the phrase “at sight” is no less effective than the Federal rules. The new State language at 4 VAC 25-130-800.21(c)(1) also provides that letters of credit must conform to the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits (1993 Revision or revision current at the time of issuance of the letter of credit) International Chamber of Commerce (Publication No. 500). As previously stated, the UCP defines the liabilities and responsibilities of banks, the relationship of letters of credits with other documents as well as various other provisions. We find that the incorporation by reference to the 1993 UCP is not inconsistent with the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.21(b)(1) and can be approved. However we are not approving the phrase, “or revision current at the time of issuance of the Start Printed Page 43482letter of credit.” We are not approving this language because we cannot approve future revisions without reviewing the revisions and understanding their effects on the Virginia program and whether they would render the Virginia program less effective.
In addition to our partial approval of the Virginia amendments, we find that the approved provisions fully address the requirements of the required amendment codified at 30 CFR 946.16(a), which can, therefore, be removed.
On October 10, 2000, we asked for comments from various Federal agencies which may have an interest in the Virginia amendment (Administrative Record Number VA-1009). We solicited comments in accordance with section 503(b) of SMCRA and 30 CFR 732.17(h)(11)(i) of the Federal regulations. Two comment letters were received. The U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) responded and stated that the Virginia amendment does not impact, nor conflict with any law, policy or regulation enforced by MSHA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service responded and concurred with the amendments.
None of the amendments submitted by Virginia pertain to air or water quality standards. By letter dated October 10, 2000, we requested EPA's comments on the proposed amendment (Administrative Record Number VA-1009).
The EPA responded by letter dated April 11, 2001 (Administrative Record Number VA-1012), and stated that the amendment does not conflict with the Clean Water Act. The EPA provided no other comments.
We solicited public comments on the amendment. We did not receive any public comments.
Based on the findings above, we are approving the amendments to the Virginia program, except as noted below. We are not approving the words, “or the UCP revision current at the time of issuance of the letter of credit,” in the definition of “Collateral bond,” paragraph (d), at 4 VAC 25-130-700.5; and, we are not approving the words, “or revision current at the time of issuance of the letter of credit,” at 4 VAC 25-130-800.21(c)(1). In addition, we are removing the required amendment codified at 30 CFR 946.16(a), which has been satisfied by this amendment.
To implement this decision, we are amending the Federal regulations at 30 CFR Part 946 which codifies decisions concerning the Virginia 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 demonstrates that the State has the capability of carrying out the provisions of SMCRA and meeting its purposes. Making this regulation effective immediately will expedite that process.
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. Since 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.
The Department of the Interior has determined that this rule will not have Start Printed Page 43483a 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 regulation.
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.
Start Amendment PartFor the reasons set out in the preamble, Title 30, Chapter VII, Subchapter T of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as set forth below:End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part1. The authority citation for part 946 continues to read as follows:End Amendment Part
Start Amendment Part2. Section 946.12 is amended by revising the section heading and adding new paragraph (c) to read as follows:End Amendment Part
§ 946.12 State program provisions and amendments not approved.
Start Amendment Part3. Section 946.15 is amended by adding a new entry to the table in chronological order by “Date of final publication” to read as follows:End Amendment Part
§ 946.15 Approval of Virginia regulatory program amendments.
Original amendment submission dateDate of final publicationCitation/description * * * * * * *September 22, 2000[Insert date of publication in the Federal Register]4 VAC 25-130-700.5 (partial approval); 800.21(a), (c)(1) (partial approval), (2) and (3), and (d).
§ 946.16
Start Amendment Part4. Section 946.16 is removed.End Amendment Part
[FR Doc. 01-20903 Filed 8-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-05-P Published Document Home