Ownership and Control; Permit and Application Information; Transfer, Assignment, or Sale of Permit Rights

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM), are publishing this final rule to amend certain provisions of our "ownership and control" and related rules, as well as our rules pertaining to the transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights. More specifically, we are amending our definitions pertaining to ownership, control, and transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights and our regulatory provisions governing: permit eligibility determinations; improvidently issued permits; ownership or control challenges; post- permit issuance actions and requirements; transfer, assignment, or sale of permit rights; application and permit information; and alternative enforcement. Additionally, we are removing our current rules pertaining to improvidently issued State permits. This final rule implements various provisions of, and is authorized by, the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act).