AGENCY:
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Department of the Interior.
ACTION:
Notice of Availability; Draft Regulatory Impact Analysis.
SUMMARY:
We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing that the draft regulatory impact analysis (RIA) of the potential economic and social impacts of the proposed stream protection rule and alternatives to that rule is available for public review and comment.
DATES:
Electronic or Written Comments: We will accept electronic or written comments on or before September 25, 2015.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments by any of the following methods:
Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. The Docket ID for the draft RIA is OSM-2015-0002. Please follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
Mail/Hand-Delivery/Courier: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Administrative Record, Room 252 SIB, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240. Please include the appropriate Docket ID: OSM-2015-0002 for the draft regulatory impact analysis.
You may review the proposed rule, the draft environmental impact statement, and the draft regulatory impact analysis online at www.osmre.gov. You also may review these documents in person at the location listed below and at the addresses listed under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Administrative Record, Room 101 SIB, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240, 202-208-4264.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mark Gehlhar, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1951 Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20240. Telephone: 202-208-2716.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The draft RIA evaluates the economic and social costs and benefits of the proposed stream protection rule and its alternatives. The draft RIA was developed in accordance with Executive Order 12866—Regulatory Planning and Review, as modified by Executive Order 13563.
Significant advances in scientific knowledge and mining and reclamation techniques have occurred in the more than 30 years that have elapsed since the enactment of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., and the adoption of federal regulations implementing that law. The primary purpose of the proposed stream protection rule is to update our regulations and provide regulatory certainty to industry using advances in scientific knowledge to minimize the adverse impacts of surface coal mining operations on surface water, groundwater, fish, wildlife, and related environmental values, with particular emphasis on protecting or restoring streams and aquatic ecosystems.
How do I comment on the draft RIA?
We invite the public to comment on the draft RIA during the 60-day comment period. Please see ADDRESSES and DATES for more information.
We will review and consider all comments submitted to www.regulations.gov or to the office listed under ADDRESSES by the close of the comment period (see DATES). We cannot ensure that comments received after the close of the comment period or at a location other than the office and Web site listed under ADDRESSES will be included in the docket for this draft RIA or considered in the development of a final RIA.
Please include the Docket ID “OSM-2015-0002” at the beginning of all comments on the draft RIA. Your comments should refer to a specific portion of the draft RIA (citation to the chapter, section, page, paragraph, and sentence to which your comment applies would be helpful), be confined to issues pertinent to the draft RIA, explain the reason for any recommended change or objection, and include supporting data when appropriate.
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personally identifiable information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment—including your personally identifiable information—may be made publicly available at any time. You may ask us in your comment to withhold your personally identifiable information from public review, but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
You may review the proposed rule, the draft environmental impact statement, and the draft regulatory impact analysis online at the Web sites listed in ADDRESSES or in person at the headquarters office location listed in ADDRESSES and at the following OSMRE regional, field, and area office locations:
Appalachian Regional Office
Three Parkway Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15220
Phone: (412) 937-2828
Mid-Continent Regional Office
William L. Beatty Federal Building
501 Belle Street, Room 216
Alton, Illinois 62002
Phone: (618) 463-6460
Western Regional Office
1999 Broadway, Suite 3320
Denver, Colorado 80201
Phone: (303) 844-1401
Charleston Field Office
1027 Virginia Street, East
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Phone: (304) 347-7158
Knoxville Field Office
710 Locust Street, 2nd floor
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
Phone: (865) 545-4103
Lexington Field Office
2675 Regency Road
Lexington, Kentucky 40503
Phone: (859) 260-3900
Beckley Area Office
313 Harper Park Drive
Beckley, West Virginia 25801
Phone: (304) 255-5265
Harrisburg Area Office
215 Limekiln Road
New Cumberland, Pennsylvania 17070
Phone: (717) 730-6985
Albuquerque Area Office
100 Sun Avenue NE
Pan American Building, Suite 330
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87109
Phone: (505) 761-8989
Casper Area Office
Dick Cheney Federal Building
150 East B Street
Casper, Wyoming 82601
Phone: (307) 261-6550
Birmingham Field Office
135 Gemini Circle, Suite 215
Homewood, Alabama 35209
Phone: (205) 290-7282
Tulsa Field Office
1645 South 101st East Avenue, Suite 145
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74128
Phone: (918) 581-6430
Dated: July 7, 2015.
Sterling Rideout,
Assistant Director, Program Support.
[FR Doc. 2015-17292 Filed 7-24-15; 8:45 am]
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