Interior Department, Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is APPROVING an amendment to the Montana regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Montana submitted this proposed amendment to OSM on its own initiative in response to a State law passed by the Montana Legislature House Bill 587 (HB 587). The proposed amendment provides a new definition of "Material damage" with respect to the hydrologic balance, alluvial valley floors, and subsidence. It also creates an option for a permit applicant to provide self-collected information related to its determination of probable hydrologic consequences, if an appropriate Federal or State agency cannot provide such information. Finally, HB 587 includes contingencies that apply to the proposed amendment but are not codified into the Montana Code Annotated (MCA): a severability clause, a contingent voidness clause, an effective date clause, and a retroactive applicability clause.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of the Interior Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 30 CFR Part 926 [SATS No. MT-048-FOR; Docket No. OSM-2025-0008; S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 266S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 26XS501520] AGENCY: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior. ACTION: Final rule; approval of amendment. SUMMARY: The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is APPROVING an amendment to the Montana regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). Montana submitted this proposed amendment to OSM on its own initiative in response to a State law passed by the Montana Legislature House Bill 587 (HB 587). The proposed amendment provides a new definition of “Material damage” with respect to the hydrologic balance, alluvial valley floors, and subsidence. It also creates an option for a permit applicant to provide self-collected information related to its determination of probable hydrologic consequences, if an appropriate Federal or State agency cannot provide such information. Finally, HB 587 includes contingencies that apply to the proposed amendment but are not codified into the Montana Code Annotated (MCA): a severability clause, a contingent voidness clause, an effective date clause, and a retroactive applicability clause. DATES: The effective date is June 29, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Attn: Jeffrey Fleischman, Field Office Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamat…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 91 FR 31898
