The regulations in chapter VII of 30 CFR, consisting of parts 700 through 899, establish the procedures through which the Secretary of the Interior will implement the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95-87, 91 Stat. 445 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et. seq.)). Chapter VII is divided into 13 subchapters.

(a) Subchapter A contains introductory information intended to serve as a guide to the rest of the chapter and to the regulatory requirements and definitions generally applicable to the programs and persons covered by the Act.

(b) Subchapter B contains regulations covering the initial regulatory program which apply before the applicability of permanent program regulations to persons conducting surface coal mining and reclamation operations and other persons covered by the Act.

(c) Subchapter C sets forth regulations covering applications for and decisions on permanent State programs; the process to be followed for substituting a Federal program for an approved State program, if necessary; the process for assuming temporary Federal enforcement of an approved State program; and the process for implementing a Federal program in a State when required by the Act.

(d) Subchapter D of this chapter identifies the procedures that apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations conducted on Federal lands rather than State or private lands and incorporates by reference the requirements of the applicable regulatory program and the inspection and enforcement requirements of subchapter L of this chapter.

(e) Subchapter E of this chapter contains regulations that apply to surface coal mining and reclamation operations conducted on Indian lands.

(f)(1) Subchapter F implements the requirements of the Act for—

(i) Designating lands which are unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations;

(ii) Terminating designations no longer found to be appropriate; and

(iii) Prohibiting surface coal mining and reclamation operations on those lands or areas where the Act states that surface coal mining operations should not be permitted or should be permitted only after specified determinations are made.

(2) Subchapter F does not include regulations governing designation of areas unsuitable for noncoal mining under the terms of section 601 of the Act or the designation of Federal lands under the Federal lands review provisions of section 522(b) of the Act. The Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior is responsible for these provisions which will be implemented when promulgated by regulations in title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(g) Subchapter G governs applications for and decisions on permits for surface coal mining and reclamation operations on non-Indian and non-Federal lands under a State or Federal program. It also governs coal exploration and permit application and decisions on permits for special categories of coal mining on non-Indian and non-Federal lands under a State or Federal program. Regulations implementing the experimental practices provision of the Act are also included in subchapter G.

(h) Subchapter J sets forth requirements for performance bonds and public liability insurance for both surface mining and underground mining activities.

(i) Subchapter K sets forth the environmental and other performance standards which apply to coal exploration and to surface coal mining and reclamation operations during the permanent regulatory program. The regulations establish the minimum requirements for operations under State and Federal programs. Performance standards applicable to special mining situations such as anthracite mines, steep slope mining, alluvial valley floors, and prime farmlands are included.

(j) Subchapter L sets forth the inspection, enforcement, and civil penalty provisions that apply to a State, Federal, or Federal lands program.

(k) Subchapter M sets forth the requirements for the training, examination, and certification of blasters.

(l) Subchapter P sets forth the provisions for protection of employees who initiate proceedings under the Act or testify in any proceedings resulting from the administration or enforcement of the Act.

(m) Subchapter R sets forth the regulations for the abandoned mine land reclamation program. These regulations include the fee collection requirements and the mechanisms for implementing the State and Federal portions of the abandoned mine land reclamation program.

(n) Subchapter S sets forth the regulations that apply to grants for mining and mineral research institutes and grants for mineral research projects.

The objective of chapter VII is to fulfill the purposes of the Act found in section 102 in a manner which is consistent with the language of the Act, its legislative history, other applicable laws, and judicial interpretations.

The Secretary is authorized to administer the requirements of the Act, except the following:

(a) Provisions of the Act that authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to establish programs for the reclamation of rural lands, identification of prime agricultural lands, and other responsibilities described in the Act. Regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture are in 7 CFR;

(b) Provisions of the Act for which responsibility is specifically assigned to other Federal agencies, including the Department of Labor, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Corps of Engineers, the Council on Environmental Quality, and the Department of Energy; and

(c) Authority retained by the States to enforce State laws or regulations which are not inconsistent with the Act and this chapter, including the authority to enforce more stringent land use and environmental controls and regulations.

(a) The Director of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, under the general direction of the Assistant Secretary, Energy and Minerals, is responsible for exercising the authority of the Secretary, except for the following:

(1) Approval, disapproval or withdrawal of approval of a State program and implementation of a Federal program. The Director is responsible for exercising the authority of the Secretary to substitute Federal enforcement of a State program under section 521(b) of the Act.

(2) Designation of non-Federal lands or Federal lands without the concurrence of the Federal surface managing agency as unsuitable for all or certain types of surface coal mining operations under section 522 of the Act and as unsuitable for non-coal mining under section 601 of the Act; and

(3) Authority to approve or disapprove mining plans to conduct surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands.

(b) The Director is responsible for consulting with Federal land-managing agencies and Federal agencies with responsibility for natural and historic resources on Federal lands on actions which may have an effect on their responsibilities.

(c) The States are responsible for the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations under the initial regulatory program and surface coal mining and reclamation operations and coal exploration under an approved State program and the reclamation of abandoned mine lands under an approved State Reclamation Plan on non-Federal and non-Indian lands in accordance with procedures in this chapter.

(d) The Secretary may delegate to a State through a cooperative agreement certain authority relating to the regulation of surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands in accordance with 30 CFR part 745.

(e) The Director, Office of Hearings and Appeals, U.S. Department of the Interior, is responsible for the administration of administrative hearings and appeals required or authorized by the Act pursuant to the regulations in 43 CFR part 4.

As used throughout this chapter, the following terms have the specified meaning except where otherwise indicated—

Act means the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (Pub. L. 95-87).

AML means abandoned mine land(s).

AML inventory means OSM's listing of abandoned mine land problems eligible to be reclaimed using moneys from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund or the Treasury as appropriate.

Anthracite means coal classified as anthracite in ASTM Standard D 388-77. Coal classifications are published by the American Society of Testing and Materials under the title, Standard Specification for Classification of Coals by Rank, ASTM D 388-77, on pages 220 through 224. Table 1 which classifies the coals by rank is presented on page 223. This publication is hereby incorporated by reference as it exists on the date of adoption of these regulations. Notices of changes made to this publication will be periodically published by the Office of Surface Mining in the Federal Register. This ASTM Standard is on file and available for inspection at the OSM Office, U.S. Department of the Interior, South Interior Building, Washington, DC 20240, at each OSM Regional Office, District Office and Field Office, and at the central office of the applicable State Regulatory Authority, if any. Copies of this publication may also be obtained by writing to the above locations. A copy of this publication will also be on file for public inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html. Incorporation by reference provisions approved by the Director of the Federal Register February 7, 1979. The Director's approval of this incorporation by reference expires on July 1, 1981.

Coal means combustible carbonaceous rock, classified as anthracite, bituminous, subbituminous, or lignite by ASTM Standard D 388-77, referred to and incorporated by reference in the definition of Anthracite immediately above.

Department means the Department of the Interior.

Director means the Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, or the Director's representative.

Eligible lands and water means lands and water eligible for expenditures under title IV of SMCRA and this chapter. Eligible lands and water for reclamation or drainage abatement expenditures under the Abandoned Mine Land program contained in this chapter are those which were mined for coal or which were affected by such mining, wastebanks, coal processing, or other coal mining processes and left or abandoned in either an unreclaimed or inadequately reclaimed condition prior to August 3, 1977, and for which there is no continuing reclamation responsibility. However, lands and water damaged by coal mining operations after that date and on or before November 5, 1990, may also be eligible for reclamation if they meet the requirements specified in § 874.12(d) and (e) of this chapter. Following certification of the completion of all known coal problems, eligible lands and water for noncoal reclamation purposes are those sites that meet the eligibility requirements specified in § 875.14 of this chapter. For additional eligibility requirements for water projects, see § 874.14 of this chapter, and for lands affected by remining operations, see section 404 of SMCRA.

Emergency means a sudden danger or impairment that presents a high probability of substantial physical harm to the health, safety, or general welfare of people before the danger can be abated under normal program operation procedures.

Expended means that moneys have been obligated, encumbered, or committed by contract by the State, Tribe, or us for work to be accomplished or services to be rendered.

Extreme danger means a condition that could reasonably be expected to cause substantial physical harm to persons, property, or the environment and to which persons or improvements on real property are currently exposed.

Federal lands means any land, including mineral interests, owned by the United States, without regard to how the United States acquired ownership of the lands or which agency manages the lands. It does not include Indian lands. However, lands or mineral interests east of the 100th meridian west longitude owned by the United States and entrusted to or managed by the Tennessee Valley Authority are not subject to sections 714 (surface owner protection) and 715 (Federal lessee protection) of the Act.

Federal lands program means a program established by the Secretary pursuant to section 523 of the Act to regulate surface coal mining and reclamation operations on Federal lands.

Fund means the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund established on the books of the U.S. Treasury for the purpose of accumulating revenues designated for reclamation of abandoned mine lands and other activities authorized by section 401 of SMCRA.

Indian lands means all lands, including mineral interests, within the exterior boundaries of any Federal Indian reservation, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and including rights-of-way, and all lands including mineral interests held in trust for or supervised by an Indian tribe.

Indian tribe means any Indian tribe, band, group, or community having a governing body recognized by the Secretary.

Office means the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement established under title II of the Act.

Left or abandoned in either an unreclaimed or inadequately reclaimed condition means, for Abandoned Mine Land programs, lands and water:

(1) Which were mined or which were affected by such mining, wastebanks, processing or other mining processes prior to August 3, 1977, or between August 3, 1977, and November 5, 1990, as authorized pursuant to section 402(g)(4) of SMCRA, and on which all mining has ceased;

(2) Which continue, in their present condition, to degrade substantially the quality of the environment, prevent or damage the beneficial use of land or water resources, or endanger the health and safety of the public; and

(3) For which there is no continuing reclamation responsibility under State or Federal laws, except as provided in sections 402(g)(4) and 403(b)(2) of SMCRA.

OSM and OSMRE mean the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement established under title II of the Act.

Person means an individual, Indian tribe when conducting surface coal mining and reclamation operations on non-Indian lands, partnership, association, society, joint venture, joint stock company, firm, company, corporation, cooperative or other business organization and any agency, unit, or instrumentality of Federal, State or local government including any publicly owned utility or publicly owned corporation of Federal State or local government.

Person having an interest which is or may be adversely affected or person with a valid legal interest shall include any person—

(a) Who uses any resource of economic, recreational, esthetic, or environmental value that may be adversely affected by coal exploration or surface coal mining and reclamation operations or any related action of the Secretary or the State regulatory authority; or

(b) Whose property is or may be adversely affected by coal exploration or surface coal mining and reclamation operations or any related action of the Secretary or the State regulatory authority.

Project means a delineated area containing one or more abandoned mine land problems. A project may be a group of related reclamation activities with a common objective within a political subdivision of a State or within a logical, geographically defined area, such as a watershed, conservation district, or county planning area.

Public office means a facility under the direction and control of a governmental entity which is open to public access on a regular basis during reasonable business hours.

Reclamation activity means the reclamation, abatement, control, or prevention of adverse effects of past mining by an Abandoned Mine Land program.

Reclamation program means a program established by a State or an Indian tribe in accordance with Title IV of SMCRA for reclamation of lands and water adversely affected by past mining, including the reclamation plan and annual applications for grants under the plan.

Regional Director means a Regional Director of the Office or a Regional Director's representative.

Regulatory authority means the department or agency in each State which has primary responsibility at the State level for administering the Act in the initial program, or the State regulatory authority where the State is administering the Act under a State regulatory program, or the Secretary in the initial or permanent program where the Secretary is administering the Act, or the Secretary when administering a Federal program or Federal lands program or when enforcing a State program pursuant to section 521(b) of the Act.

Regulatory program means any approved State or Federal program or, in a State with no approved State or Federal program and coal exploration and surface coal mining and reclamation operations are on Federal lands, the requirements of subchapters A, F, G, J, K, L, M, and P of this chapter.

Secretary means the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary's representative.

SMCRA means the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. 1201 et seq., as amended.

State regulatory authority means the department or agency in each State which has primary responsibility at the State level for administering the initial or permanent State regulatory program.

Surface coal mining operations mean—

(a) Activities conducted on the surface of lands in connection with a surface coal mine or, subject to the requirements of section 516 of the Act, surface operations and surface impacts incident to an underground coal mine, the products of which enter commerce or the operations of which directly or indirectly affect interstate commerce. Such activities include excavation for the purpose of obtaining coal, including such common methods as contour, strip, auger, mountain top removal, box cut, open pit, and area mining; the use of explosives and blasting; in situ distillation or retorting; leaching or other chemical or physical processing; and the cleaning, concentrating, or other processing or preparation of coal. Such activities also include the loading of coal for interstate commerce at or near the mine site. Provided, these activities do not include the extraction of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals, where coal does not exceed 16 2/3 percent of the tonnage of minerals removed for purposes of commercial use or sale, or coal exploration subject to section 512 of the Act; and, Provided further, that excavation for the purpose of obtaining coal includes extraction of coal from coal refuse piles; and

(b) The areas upon which the activities described in paragraph (a) of this definition occur or where such activities disturb the natural land surface. These areas shall also include any adjacent land the use of which is incidental to any such activities, all lands affected by the construction of new roads or the improvement or use of existing roads to gain access to the site of those activities and for haulage and excavation, workings, impoundments, dams, ventilation shafts, entryways, refuse banks, dumps, stockpiles, overburden piles, spoil banks, culm banks, tailings, holes or depressions, repair areas, storage areas, processing areas, shipping areas, and other areas upon which are sited structures, facilities, or other property or material on the surface, resulting from or incident to those activities.

Surface coal mining and reclamation operations means surface coal mining operations and all activities necessary or incidental to the reclamation of such operations. This term includes the term surface coal mining operations.

Ton means 2000 pounds avoirdupois (.90718 metric ton).

The collection of information, and recordkeeping requirements, contained in 30 CFR 700.11(d), 700.12(b) and 700.13 has approved by the Office of Management and Budget under 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq. and assigned clearance number 1029-0094. The information collected in § 700.11(d) is used by OSMRE and States to establish standards for determining when a mine site is no longer a surface coal mining and reclamation operation and thereby when regulatory jurisdiction may end. The information collection under § 700.12(b) is used by OSMRE to consider need, costs, and benefits of a proposed regulatory change in order to grant or deny a petition that has been submitted. Information collected in § 700.13 identifies the person and nature of a citizen's suit, so that OSMRE or a state can respond appropriately.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, this chapter applies to all coal exploration and surface coal mining and reclamation operations, except:

(1) The extraction of coal by a landowner for his or her own noncommercial use from land owned or leased by him or her. Noncommercial use does not include the extraction of coal by one unit of an integrated company or other business or nonprofit entity which uses the coal in its own manufacturing or power plants;

(2) The extraction of 250 tons of coal or less by a person conducting a surface coal mining and reclamation operation. A person who intends to remove more than 250 tons is not exempted;

(3) The extraction of coal as an incidental part of Federal, State or local government-financed highway or other construction in accordance with part 707 of this chapter;

(4) The extraction of coal incidental to the extraction of other minerals where coal does not exceed 16 2/3 percent of the total tonnage of coal and other minerals removed for purposes of commercial use or sale in accordance with part 702 of this chapter.

(5) Coal exploration on lands subject to the requirement of 43 Cspan parts 3480-3487.

(b) This chapter does not apply to the extraction of coal for commercial purposes where the surface coal mining and reclamation operation, together with any related operations, has or will have an affected area of two acres or less. For purposes of this paragraph:

(1) Where a segment of a road is used for access or coal haulage by more than one surface coal mining operation, the entire segment shall be included in the affected area of each of those operations; provided, that two or more operations which are deemed related pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section shall be considered as one operation for purposes of this paragraph.

(2) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(3) of this section, surface coal mining operations shall be deemed related if they occur within twelve months of each other, are physically related, and are under common ownership or control.

(i) Operations shall be deemed physically related if drainage from both operations flows into the same watershed at or before a point within five aerial miles of either operation.

(ii) Operations shall be deemed under common ownership or control if they are owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by or on behalf of:

(A) The same person;

(B) Two or more persons, one of whom controls, is under common control with, or is controlled by the other; or

(C) Members of the same family and their relatives, unless it is established that there is no direct or indirect business relationship between or among them;

(iii) For purposes of this paragraph, control means: Ownership of 50 percent or more of the voting shares of, or general partnership in, an entity; any relationship which gives one person the ability in fact or law to direct what the other does; or any relationship which gives one person express or implied authority to determine the manner in which coal at different sites will be mined, handled, sold or disposed of.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this section, the regulatory authority may determine, in accordance with the procedures applicable to requests for determination of exemption pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section, that two or more surface coal mining operations shall not be deemed related if, considering the history and circumstances relating to the coal, its location, the operations at the sites in question, all related operations and all persons mentioned in paragraph (b)(2)(ii) of this section, the regulatory authority concludes in writing that the operations are not of the type which the Act was intended to regulate and that there is no intention on the part of such operations or persons to evade the requirements of the Act or the applicable regulatory program.

(4) The exemption provided by paragraph (b) of this section applies only to operations with an affected area of less than two acres where coal is being extracted for commercial purposes and to surface coal mining operations within that affected area incidental to such operations.

(c) The regulatory authority may on its own initiative and shall, within a reasonable time of a request from any person who intends to conduct surface coal mining operations, make a written determination whether the operation is exempt under this section. The regulatory authority shall give reasonable notice of the request to interested persons. Prior to the time a determination is made, any person may submit, and the regulatory authority shall consider, any written information relevant to the determination. A person requesting that an operation be declared exempt shall have the burden of establishing the exemption. If a written determination of exemption is reversed through subsequent administrative or judicial action, any person who, in good faith, has made a complete and accurate request for an exemption and relied upon the determination, shall not be cited for violations which occurred prior to the date of the reversal.

(d)(1) A regulatory authority may terminate its jurisdiction under the regulatory program over the reclaimed site of a completed surface coal mining and reclamation operation, or increment thereof, when:

(i) The regulatory authority determines in writing that under the initial program, all requirements imposed under subchapter B of this chapter have been successfully completed; or

(ii) The regulatory authority determines in writing that under the permanent program, all requirements imposed under the applicable regulatory program have been successfully completed or, where a performance bond was required, the regulatory authority has made a final decision in accordance with the State or Federal program counterpart to part 800 of this chapter to release the performance bond fully.

(2) Following a termination under paragraph (d)(1) of this section, the regulatory authority shall reassert jurisdiction under the regulatory program over a site if it is demonstrated that the bond release or written determination referred to in paragraph (d)(1) of this section was based upon fraud, collusion, or misrepresentation of a material fact.

(a) Any person may petition the Director to initiate a proceeding for the issuance, amendment, or repeal of any regulation under the Act. The petition shall be submitted to the Office of the Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

(b) The petition shall be a concise statement of the facts, technical justification, and law which require issuance, amendment, or repeal of a regulation under the Act and shall indicate whether the petitioner desires a public hearing.

(c) Upon receipt of the petition, the Director shall determine if the petition sets forth facts, technical justification and law which may provide a reasonable basis for issuance, amendment or repeal of a regulation. Facts, technical justification or law previously considered in a petition or rulemaking on the same issue shall not provide a reasonable basis. If the Director determines that the petition has a reasonable basis, a notice shall be published in the Federal Register seeking comments from the public on the proposed change. The Director may hold a public hearing, may conduct an investigation or take other action to determine whether the petition should be granted.

(d) Within 90 days from receipt of the petition, the Director shall issue a written decision either granting or denying the petition. The Director's decision shall constitute the final decision for the Department.

(1) If the petition is granted, the Director shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding.

(2) If the petition is denied, the Director shall notify the petitioner in writing, setting forth the reasons for denial.

(a) A person who intends to initiate a civil action on his or her own behalf under section 520 of the Act shall give notice of intent to do so, in accordance with this section.

(b) Notice shall be given by certified mail to the Secretary and the Director in all cases and to the head of the State regulatory authority, if a complaint involves or relates to a specific State. A copy of the notice shall be sent by first class mail to the Regional Director, if the complaint involves or relates to surface coal mining and reclamation operations in a specific region of the Office.

(c) Notice shall be given by certified mail to the alleged violator, if the complaint alleges a violation of the Act or any regulation, order, or permit issued under the Act.

(d) Service of notice under this section is complete upon mailing to the last known address of the person being notified.

(e) A person giving notice regarding an alleged violation shall state, to the extent known—

(1) Sufficient information to identify the provision of the Act, regulation, order, or permit allegedly violated;

(2) The act or omission alleged to constitute a violation;

(3) The name, address, and telephone numbers of the person or persons responsible for the alleged violation;

(4) The date, time, and location of the alleged violation;

(5) The name, address, and telephone number of the person giving notice; and

(6) The name, address, and telephone number of legal counsel, if any, of the person giving notice.

(f) A person giving notice of an alleged failure by the Secretary or a State regulatory authority to perform a mandatory act or duty under the Act shall state, to the extent known:

(1) The provision of the Act containing the mandatory act or duty allegedly not performed;

(2) Sufficient information to identify the omission alleged to constitute the failure to perform a mandatory act or duty under the Act;

(3) The name, address, and telephone number of the person giving notice; and

(4) The name, address, and telephone number of legal counsel, if any, of the person giving notice.

(a) Records required by the Act to be made available locally to the public shall be retained at the geographically closest office of the State or Federal regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the area involved.

(b) Other records or documents in the possession of the Office may be requested under 43 CFR part 2, which implements the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.

(a) Except as otherwise provided, computation of time under this chapter is based on calendar days.

(b) In computing any period of prescribed time, the day on which the designated period of time begins is not included. The last day of the period is included unless it is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday on which the regulatory authority is not open for business, in which event the period runs until the end of the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

(c) Intermediate Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays are excluded from the computation when the period of prescribed time is 7 days or less.