Federal Register: June 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 116)
DOCID: fr16jn08-6 FR Doc E8-13456
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office
CFR Citation: 30 CFR Part 948
WV ID: [WV-114-FOR; OSM-2008-0010]
NOTICE: RULES
DOCID: fr16jn08-6
DOCUMENT ACTION: Interim rule with request for comments.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
West Virginia Regulatory Program
DATES: Effective Date: This rule is effective June 16, 2008. Comment Date: We will accept written comments until 4 p.m., local time July 16, 2008. If requested, we will hold a public hearing on July 11, 2008. We will accept requests to speak until 4 p.m., local time on July 1, 2008.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
We are approving, on an interim basis, an amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program (the West Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). West Virginia revised its Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act to effect changes concerning the special reclamation tax and other issues. The tax provisions of the amendment are intended to increase and extend the special reclamation tax, and create the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund for the purpose of designing, constructing and maintaining water treatment systems on forfeited sites.
We are approving the reinstatement of the seven cents per ton special reclamation tax, its increase to seven and fourtenths cents per ton, as well as the creation of the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund, on an interim basis, with our approval becoming effective upon publication of this interim rule.
SUMMARY:
West Virginia Regulatory Program,
DOCUMENT BODY:
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SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
I. Background on the West Virginia Program
II. Description and Submission of the Amendment
III. OSM's Findings
IV. Public Comment Procedures
V. OSM's Decision
VI. Procedural Determinations
I. Background on the West Virginia 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 nonIndian 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 the 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 West Virginia program on January 21, 1981. You can find background information on the West Virginia program, including the Secretary's findings, the disposition of comments, and conditions of approval of the West Virginia program in the January 21, 1981, Federal Register (46 FR 5915). You can also find later actions concerning West Virginia's program and program amendments at 30 CFR 948.10, 948.12, 948.13, 948.15, and 948.16.
II. Description and Submission of the Amendment
By letter dated April 8, 2008, and received electronically on April 17, 2008 (Administrative Record Number WV1503), the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) submitted an amendment to its program under SMCRA (30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.). The amendment includes changes to the West Virginia Code of State Regulations (CSR) and West Virginia Surface Coal Mining and Reclamation Act (WVSCMRA) as contained in Committee Substitutes for Senate Bills 373 and 751 concerning a variety of topics including new language regarding technical completeness, sediment control, storm water runoff, blasting, excess spoil fills, bonding programs, special reclamation tax, water quality, seismograph records, and definitions. OSM is publishing, under a separate Federal Register notice, the proposed rule and request for comments on changes in the amendment that are not specifically addressed by this action.
Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 751 amended Section 22311 of the WVSCMRA. As stated in the April 8, 2008, letter transmitting the amendment, the revisions contained in Senate Bill 751 related ``* * * generally to the special reclamation tax by establishing the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund; continuing and reimposing a tax on clean coal mined for deposit into both funds; requiring the Secretary to look at alternative programs; and authorizing the Secretary to promulgate legislative rules implementing the alternative programs.''
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Specifically, the amended language relating to the special
reclamation tax and the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund reads as follows:
Sec. 22311. Bonds; amount and method of bonding; bonding
requirements; special reclamation tax and funds; prohibited acts; period of bond liability.
(g) The Special Reclamation Fund previously created is
continued. The Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund is created
within the State Treasury into and from which moneys shall be paid
for the purpose of assuring a reliable source of capital to reclaim
and restore water treatment systems on forfeited sites. The moneys
accrued in both funds, any interest earned thereon and yield from
investments by the State Treasurer or West Virginia Investment
Management Board are reserved solely and exclusively for the
purposes set forth in this section and section seventeen, article
one of this chapter. The funds shall be administered by the
secretary who is authorized to expend the moneys in both funds for
the reclamation and rehabilitation of lands which were subjected to
permitted surface mining operations and abandoned after the third
day of August, one thousand nine hundred seventyseven, where the
amount of the bond posted and forfeited on the land is less than the
actual cost of reclamation, and where the land is not eligible for
abandoned mine land reclamation funds under article two of this
chapter. The secretary shall develop a longrange planning process
for selection and prioritization of sites to be reclaimed so as to
avoid inordinate shortterm obligations of the assets in both funds
of such magnitude that the solvency of either is jeopardized. The
secretary may use both funds for the purpose of designing,
constructing and maintaining water treatment systems when they are
required for a complete reclamation of the affected lands described
in this subsection. The secretary may also expend an amount not to
exceed ten percent of the total annual assets in both funds to
implement and administer the provisions of this article and, as they
apply to the Surface Mine Board, articles one and four, chapter twentytwob of this code.
(h)(1) For tax periods commencing on and after the first day of
July, two thousand eight, every person conducting coal surface
mining shall remit a special reclamation tax as follows: (A) For the
initial period of twelve months, ending the thirtieth day of June,
two thousand nine, seven and fourtenths cents per ton of clean coal
mined, the proceeds of which shall be allocated by the secretary for
deposit in the Special Reclamation Fund and the Special Reclamation
Water Trust Fund; (B) an additional seven cents per ton of clean
coal mined, the proceeds of which shall be deposited in the Special
Reclamation Fund. The tax shall be levied upon each ton of clean
coal severed or clean coal obtained from refuse pile and slurry pond
recovery or clean coal from other mining methods extracting a
combination of coal and waste material as part of a fuel supply. The
additional sevencent tax shall be reviewed and, if necessary,
adjusted annually by the Legislature upon recommendation of the
council pursuant to the provisions of section seventeen, article one
of this chapter: Provided, That the tax may not be reduced until the
Special Reclamation Fund and Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund
have sufficient moneys to meet the reclamation responsibilities of the state established in this section.
III. OSM's Findings
Effective upon publication of this interim rule, we are approving the revisions to section 22311(g) and (h)(1) of the WVSCMRA, which reinstate and increase the Special Reclamation Tax and create the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund on an interim basis. Since these revisions increase revenues into the State's alternative bonding system and establish a Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund to be used to design, construct and maintain water treatment systems on forfeited sites, we find that they are no less effective than the Federal regulations at 30 CFR 800.11(e). Because our approval of these revisions is interim in nature, and in order to satisfy the public participation requirements for approval or disapproval of State program amendments we will accept comments on the reinstatement of and increase in the Special Reclamation Tax and on the creation of the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund in accordance with section IV of this Federal Register notice. Following our review of the comments received, we will issue a final rule announcing the Director's final decision on the revisions to section 22311(g) and (h)(1) of the WVSCMRA that are the subject of this interim rule.
Pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act at 5 U.S.C. Sec. 553(b)(3)(B), we find that good cause exists to approve the revisions to section 22311(g) and (h)(1) of the WVSCMRA on an interim basis without notice and opportunity for comment, because to require notice and opportunity for comment now would be contrary to the public interest in that it would delay the start of the collection of the increased Special Reclamation Tax. Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 751 becomes effective under State law on July 1, 2008, and the public interest in the accomplishment of prompt and thorough reclamation of bond forfeiture sites, including water treatment of discharges therefrom, will be adversely affected if the 7.4 cent per ton Special Reclamation Tax cannot be collected on and after that effective date. In any event, as explained above, the public will have an opportunity to comment on the reinstatement of and increase in the Special Reclamation Tax, and on the creation of the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund, before we make a final decision.
IV. Public Comment Procedures
Under the provisions of 30 CFR 732.17(h), we are seeking your comments on whether these amendments satisfy the applicable program approval criteria of 30 CFR 732.15. If we approve these revisions, they will become part of the West Virginia program.
Written Comments
Send your written comments to OSM at one of the addresses given above. Your comments should be specific, pertain only to the issues proposed in this rulemaking, and include explanations in support of your recommendations. We may not consider or respond to your comments when developing the final rule if they are received after the close of the comment period (see DATES) or sent to an address other than those listed above (see ADDRESSES).
Availability of Comments
Before including your address, phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire commentincluding your personal identifying informationmay be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
Public Hearing
If you wish to speak at the public hearing, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT by 4 p.m. (Eastern time), on July 1, 2008. If you are disabled and need reasonable accommodation to attend a public hearing, contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. We will arrange the location and time of the hearing with those persons requesting the hearing. If no one requests an opportunity to speak, we will not hold a hearing.
To assist the transcriber and ensure an accurate record, we
request, if possible, that each person who speaks at the public hearing
provide us with a written copy of his or her comments. The public
hearing will continue on the specified date until everyone scheduled to
speak has been given an opportunity to be heard. If you are in the
audience and have not been scheduled to speak and wish to do so, you
will be allowed to speak after those who have been scheduled. We will end the hearing after
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everyone scheduled to speak and others present in the audience who wish to speak, have been heard.
Public Meeting
If there is only limited interest in participating in a public hearing, we may hold a public meeting rather than a public hearing. If you wish to meet with us to discuss the amendment, please request a meeting by contacting the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. All such meetings will be open to the public and, if possible, we will post notices of meetings at the locations listed under ADDRESSES. We will make a written summary of each meeting a part of the Docket for this rulemaking.
V. OSM's Decision
Based on the above findings, we are approving on an interim basis,
the specific revisions outlined above to the West Virginia program as
provided to us on April 17, 2008. To implement this decision, we are
amending the Federal regulations at 30 CFR Part 948, which codify
decisions concerning the West Virginia program. We find that good cause
exists under 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(3) to make this interim 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. SMCRA requires consistency of State and Federal standards.
VI. Procedural Determinations
Executive Order 12630Takings
This rule does not have takings implications. This determination is based on an analysis of the State submission.
Executive Order 12866Regulatory Planning and Review
This rule is exempt from review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 12988Civil Justice Reform
The Department of the Interior has conducted the reviews required by section 3 of Executive Order 12988 and has determined that 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 the Federal regulations at 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 13132Federalism
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 pursuant to SMCRA. Executive Order 13175Consultation and Coordination With Indian Tribal Governments
In accordance with Executive Order 13175, we have evaluated the
potential effects of this rule on Federallyrecognized Indian tribes
and have determined that the rule does not have substantial direct
effects on one or more Indian tribes, on the relationship between the
Federal Government and Indian tribes, or on the distribution of power
and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
The basis for this determination is that our decision is on a State
regulatory program and does not involve a Federal regulation involving Indian lands.
Executive Order 13211Regulations 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
This rule does not require an environmental impact statement because 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 certifies 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 previously had a special reclamation tax of $0.07 per ton of clean coal mined which expired on September 1, 2006. The tax was used to reclaim bond forfeiture sites in the State. On March 27, 2008, the Governor signed into law a bill that reinstated and increased the special reclamation tax to $0.074 per ton for the period July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009 and created the Special Reclamation Water Trust Fund for the purpose of designing, constructing and maintaining water treatment systems at bond forfeiture sites. Mined coal would also be subject to an additional tax of $0.07 or a total tax of $0.144 per ton. The combined tax rate of $0.144 will yield approximately $10.7 million in additional revenue for bond forfeiture reclamation, including water treatment, during this 12month period. The tax is payalabe by all coal operators mining coal in West Virginia, regardless of size. Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act
Based upon the above analysis and discussion, we have determined
that 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; and (c) Does not have significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment,
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productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.based enterprises to
compete with foreignbased enterprises. This determination is based
upon the analysis performed under various laws and executive orders for the counterpart Federal regulations.
Unfunded Mandates
This rule will not impose an unfunded mandate on State, local, or tribal governments or the private sector of $100 million or more in any given year. This determination is based upon the analysis performed under various laws and executive orders for the counterpart Federal regulations.
List of Subjects in 30 CFR Part 948
Intergovernmental relations, Surface mining, Underground mining.
Dated: May 22, 2008.
Thomas D. Shope,
Regional Director, Applachian Region.
For the reasons set out in the preamble, 30 CFR part 948 is amended as set forth below:
PART 948WEST VIRGINIA
1. The authority citation for part 948 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq.
2. Section 948.15 is amended by adding a new entry to the table in
chronological order by ``Date of publication of final rule'' to read as follows:
Sec. 948.15 Approval of West Virginia regulatory program amendments. * * * * *
Date of Citation/description
Original amendment submission publication of of approved
date final rule provisions * * * * * * *
April 17, 2008................ June 16, 2008.... W. Va. Code 223 11(g)
(interim approval),
11(h)(1)
(interim approval). [FR Doc. E813456 Filed 61308; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 431005P
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
Mr. Roger W. Calhoun, Director, Charleston Field Office, Telephone: (304) 3477158. Email:
chfo@osmre.gov.