West Virginia Regulatory Program

We are approving, with certain exceptions, a proposed amendment to the West Virginia regulatory program (the West Virginia program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). West Virginia proposed revisions to the Code of State Regulations (CSR), as authorized by Committee Substitute for House Bill 4193. The State revised its program to be consistent with certain corresponding Federal requirements, and to include other amendments at its own initiative. The amendments include, among other things, new provisions to ensure reclamation and husbandry techniques that are conducive to the development of productive forestlands and wildlife habitat after mining.