Pennsylvania Regulatory Program

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are approving an amendment to the Pennsylvania regulatory program under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). The amendment authorizes and implements a land reclamation financial guarantee program as a new alternative bonding option for operators that meet certain requirements. The amendment also authorizes and implements a bioenergy crop bonding program to provide financial guarantees to remining operators that grow bioenergy crops as a postmining land use. Finally, the amendment standardizes certain terms and corrects citations in statutory and regulatory provisions affected by the addition of a new section to the Pennsylvania regulatory program or changed for other reasons.