2026-17821: Montana Regulatory Program

Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 168 (Tuesday, September 1, 2026) [Federal Register Volume 91, Number 168 (Tuesday, September 1, 2026)] [Rules and Regulations] [Pages 56050-56051] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-17821] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement 30 CFR Part 926 [SATS No. MT-041-FOR; Docket No. OSM-2023-0002; S1D1S SS08011000 SX064A000 266S180110; S2D2S SS08011000 SX064A000 26XS501520] Montana Regulatory Program

Agency

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, Interior.

Action

Final rule; correction. -----------------------------------------------------------------------

Summary

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) published a document in the Federal Register on August 21, 2026, not approving, with one exception, an amendment to the Montana regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA). OSM made an error in the document by adding an entry to 30 CFR 926.12 at paragraph (c), a paragraph that already existed. This document corrects the final regulation.

Dates

The correction is effective as of September 21, 2026.

For Further Information Contact

Attn: Jeffrey Fleischman, Field Office Director, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, 100 East B Street, Casper, Wyoming 82602, Telephone: (307) 261-6550, Email: [email protected].

Supplementary Information

This is a summary of errata from OSM's final rule published August 21, 2026 (91 FR 54218), FR Doc. 2026-17055 on page 54223, columns 2-3. In our August 21, 2026, final rule, OSM amended 30 CFR 926.12 (State program provisions and amendments not approved) to add our decision regarding State Program Amendment MT-041- FOR (Docket No. OSM-2023-0002) at paragraph (c). Paragraph (c) already existed and contained OSM's decision regarding State Program Amendment MT-042-FOR (Docket No. OSM-2023-0007). See 90 FR 3673, 3687 (January 15, 2025). OSM is now correcting 30 CFR 926.12 by changing the designation of paragraph (c) to paragraph (d) to contain the entry that OSM published in the August 21, 2026, Federal Register (91 FR 54218). Correction In FR Doc 2026-17055, which published August 21, 2026, at 91 FR 54218, on page 54223 in the second column correct amendatory instruction 2 and accompanying regulatory text to read as follows: 0 2. Amend Sec. 926.12 by adding paragraph (d) to read as follows: Sec. 926.12 State program provisions and amendments not approved. * * * * * (d) The following portions of the program amendment by letter dated February 16, 2023, Administrative Record No. MT-041-01, which proposed changes to the Montana approved program as a result of the Montana Legislature's 2023 passage of a Senate Bill (SB 328) are not approved: (1) Montana's proposed definition of ``affected drainage basin'' in MCA Sec. 82-4-203(3). (2) Montana's proposed definition recodifications in the MCA Sec. 82-4-203(4)(a)--Alluvial Valley Floor, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(5)-- Approximate Original Contour, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(6)--Aquifer, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(7)--Area of Land Affected, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(8)--Bench, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(9)--Board, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(10)--Coal Conservation Plan, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(11)--Coal Preparation, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(12)--Coal Preparation Plant, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(13)--Contour Strip Mining, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(14)--Cropland, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(15)-- Degree, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(16)--Department, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(17)-- Developed Water Resources, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(18)--Ephemeral Drainageway, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(19)--Failure to Conserve Coal, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(20)--Fill Bench, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(21)--Fish and Wildlife Habitat, MCA Sec. 82-4- [[Page 56051]] 203(22)--Forestry, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(23)--Grazing Land, MCA Sec. 82- 4-203(24)--Higher or Better Uses, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(25)--Hydrologic Balance, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(26)--Imminent Danger to the Health and Safety of the Public, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(27)--Industrial or Commercial, 82-4-203(28)--In situ Coal Gasification, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(29)-- Intermittent Stream, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(30)--Land Use, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(31)--Marketable Coal, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(32)--Material Damage, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(33)--Method of Operation, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(34)-- Mineable Coal, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(35)--Mineral, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(36)--Operation, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(37)--Operator, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(38)--Overburden, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(39)--Pastureland, MCA Sec. 82- 4-203(40)--Perennial Stream, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(41)--Person, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(42)--Prime Farmland, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(43)--Prospecting, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(44)--Reclamation, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(45)--Recovery Fluid, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(46)--Recreation, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(47)-- Reference Area, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(48)--Remining, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(49)--Residential, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(50)--Restore or Restoration, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(51)--Strip Mining, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(52)-- Subsidence, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(53)--Surface Owner, MCA Sec. 82-4- 203(54)--Topsoil, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(55)--Underground Mining, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(56)--Unwarranted Failure to Comply, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(57)-- Waiver, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(58)--Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Feature, MCA Sec. 82-4-203(59)--Written Consent. (3) Montana's proposal to strike the words ``if it is satisfied'' from MCA Sec. 82-4-232(6)(k). (4) Montana's proposed changes to MCA at Sec. Sec. 82-4- 232(6)(k)(ii) and 82-4-232(6)(k)(iii). (5) Montana's addition of subpart ``C'' language in MCA Sec. 82-4- 232(6)(k)(iv), which could allow for final bond release to occur in the phased bond release process normally reserved for reclamation activities associated with phase II bond release. (6) Montana's proposed changes in the MCA Sec. 82-4-232(6)(k)(v), which would remove the period specified for operator responsibility. Marcelo Calle, Acting Regional Director, Unified Regions, 5, 7-11. [FR Doc. 2026-17821 Filed 8-31-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-05-P