Montana Regulatory Program

Issuing agencies

Abstract

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Montana regulatory program (hereinafter, the Montana program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). During the 2019 legislative session, Montana updated its Montana Strip and Underground Mine Reclamation Act and Montana Code Annotated. Accordingly, Montana submitted this proposed amendment to OSMRE on its own initiative. The proposed amendment requires a permit applicant's compliance information to be updated and approved if a bankruptcy or reorganization results in a change of ownership for the applicant. Furthermore, the proposed amendment requires permit owners to provide financial assurance for employee pensions. Lastly, Montana proposes a typographical correction. This document gives the times and locations that the Montana program and this proposed amendment to that program are available for your inspection, the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment, and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.