Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement regulation and technology For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95–87, including the purchase of not to exceed 14 passenger motor vehicles, of which 9 shall be for replacement only; and uniform allowances of not to exceed $400 for each uniformed employee of the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement; $101,228,000, and notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, an additional amount, to remain available until expended, equal to receipts to the General Fund of the Treasury from performance bond forfeitures in fiscal year 1990: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of the Interior, pursuant to regulations, may utilize directly or through grants to States, moneys collected in fiscal year 1990 pursuant to the assessment of civil penalties under section 518 of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1268), to reclaim lands adversely affected by coal mining practices after August 3, 1977, to remain available until expended: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior shall abide by and adhere to the terms of the Settlement Agreement in NWR v. Miller, C.A. No. 86–99 (E.D. Ky), and not take any actions inconsistent with the provisions of footnote 3 of the Agreement with respect to any State or Federal program: Provided further, That the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement may provide for the travel and per diem expenses of State and tribal personnel attending Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement sponsored training. abandoned mine reclamation fund For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of title IV of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, Public Law 95–87, including the purchase of not more than 21 passenger motor vehicles, of which 15 shall be for replacement only, $192,772,000 to be derived from receipts of the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund and to remain available until expended; Provided, That pursuant to Public Law 97–365, the Department of the Interior is authorized to utilize up to 20 per centum from the recovery of the delinquent debt owed to the United States Government to pay for contracts to collect these debts: Provided further, That of the funds made available to the States to contract for reclamation projects authorized in section 406(a) of Public Law 95–87, administrative expenses may not exceed 15 per centum: Provided further, That none of these funds shall be used for a reclamation grant to any State if the State has not agreed to participate in a nationwide data system established by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement through which all permit applications are reviewed and approvals withheld if the applicants (or those who control the applicants) applying for or receiving such permits have outstanding State or Federal air or water quality violations in accordance with section 510(c) of the Act of August 3, 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1260(c)), or failure to abate cessation orders, outstanding civil pen-103 STAT. 713alties associated with such failure to abate cessation orders, or uncontested past due Abandoned Mine Land fees: Provided further, That the Secretary of the Interior may deny 50 per centum of an Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund grant, available to a State pursuant to title IV of Public Law 95–87, in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 521(b) of the Act, when the Secretary determines that a State is systematically failing to administer adequately the enforcement provisions of the approved State regulatory program. Funds will be denied until such time as the State and Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement have agreed upon an explicit plan of action for correcting the enforcement deficiency. A State may enter into such agreement without admission of culpability. If a State enters into such agreement, the Secretary shall take no action pursuant to section 521(b) of the Act as long as the State is complying with the terms of the agreement: Provided further, That expenditure of moneys as authorized in section 402(g)(3) of Public Law 95–87 shall be on a priority basis with the first priority being protection of public health, safety, general welfare, and property from extreme danger of adverse effects of coal mining practices, as stated in section 403 of Public Law 95–87: Provided further, That 23 full-time equivalent positions are to be maintained in the Anthracite Reclamation Program at the Wilkes-Barre Field Office.