Department of the Interior Departmental Manual
Effective Date: 6/29/01
Series: Organization
Part 116: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
Chapter 4: Program Support
Originating Office: Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement
116 DM 4
4.1 Program Support Directorate. This Directorate formulates national policy, procedures, and guidelines within the goals provided by the Director for implementing OSM's technical and programmatic requirements. The Directorate has responsibility for interpreting Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA) (Public Law 95-87) concerning technical and program matters and ensuring that implementing regulations are consistent with the Act. The Directorate provides policy direction on State, Federal, and Indian regulatory and Abandoned Mine Land (AML) programs; Grants Administration; oversight of State regulatory programs; reclamation technology programs; environmental and economic analysis; unsuitability determinations; bonding; permitting and mining plan reviews. The Directorate provides technical training and ensures that the Applicant/Violator System (AVS) is used effectively in carrying out the SMCRA.
The Directorate works with the Regional Coordinating Centers in developing needed guidance and determining what policies, procedures and guidelines are needed to facilitate their work. The Assistant Director also coordinates regulatory development and legislation analyses with other Bureau and Departmental officials; provides guidance and uniform procedures for OSM compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental laws; develops and implements agency initiatives that promote good mining and reclamation practices and environmental protection; and supports and represents OSM regulatory, reclamation, and technical policy in meetings outside the Bureau.
The Assistant Director supervises the Reclamation Support Division, Regulatory Support Division, Technical Support Division, and Environmental Operations Division.
A. Reclamation Support Division. This Division has national responsibility for coordinating the development of policy and procedures for implementing Title IV of SMCRA, including policy associated with State, Federal, and Indian AML reclamation programs and the allocation of AML funds. Additional responsibilities include coordination of AML program policy and issues, including oversight policies and procedures, with Regional Coordinating Centers and States.
The Division provides national policy and uniform procedures for the administration and management of OSM's financial assistance programs, which support State and Tribal Title IV and V programs, watershed cooperative agreements, and the Small Operator Assistance Program.
The Division maintains the national inventory of AML problems and associated priority criteria, reports State/Tribal reclamation completions, and coordinates the annual AML grant distribution. The Division, in consultation with regional and field offices, coordinates with the Office for Equal Opportunity on grants administration issues to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. The Division, in cooperation with appropriate directorate and regional staff and in coordination with appropriate Federal agencies, provides national policy direction on reclamation programs' compliance with other Federal laws.
The Division coordinates Clean Streams initiatives by providing policy and field coordination; providing outreach with other Federal agencies, States, local governments, watershed organizations, citizens, and corporations; and providing interagency coordination on project development and funding.
B. Regulatory Support Division. This Division develops national policy implementing Title V of SMCRA. The Division coordinates the formulation and development of policy and guidance for State regulatory programs, Title V oversight, and national standards for inspection and enforcement. The Division maintains the policies for Federal lands program, the Indian lands program, and the Federal regulatory program. Policy development is coordinated with the Regional Coordinating Centers.
The Division provides Headquarters' input into and processing of mining plan decisions and State/Federal cooperative agreements. The Division provides national policy direction on OSM's compliance with other Federal laws.
The Division manages OSM's rulemaking program by identifying and analyzing regulatory and legislative issues and requirements; and by coordinating the writing, development, approval, and publication and information collection requirements of regulations implementing SMCRA.
The Division provides technical assistance to State, Tribal and OSM personnel by developing, conducting, and/or coordinating OSM Title IV and Title V technical training activities as well as other OSM training efforts. The Division is responsible, in consultation with OSM technical personnel, for developing and conducting national technology transfer forums.
C. Environmental Operations Division. The Division provides primary support for design, development and monitoring of activities that promote OSM=s environmental protection, restoration, and technology and development and transfer goals in the areas of permitting, rulemaking, and economic and environmental analyses. The Division is responsible for carrying out special projects undertaken by OSM and the Directorate; reviewing environmental proposals distributed by the Department of the Interior; coordinating bureau environmental justice responsibilities; ensuring OSM=s active participation in Departmental environmental initiatives; and coordination with the Department's Office of the Solicitor. The Division assists the other Program Support divisions by providing staff resources for developing and/or analyzing regulations and other policy and guidance documents.
The Division, in cooperation with State regulatory authorities, maintains and administers the Applicant/Violator System database, implements the permit-block provisions of SMCRA, and provides associated user training and support. The Division conducts field investigations to make ownership and control determinations, negotiates with industry on resolution of ownership and control issues and in the correction of existing violations, and coordinates with various interest groups.
The Division coordinates OSM's international programs, including technical assistance activities, and maintains the COALEX and LEXIS support systems for the bureau.
D. Technical Support Division. The Division provides a national, Bureau point-of-contact for technical issues, including research and reclamation best practices, and disseminates technical guidance relating to OSM's various programs. The Division supports the Director and other OSM and Departmental management in development of technical policies related to coal mining and reclamation. The Division assists the other Program Support divisions in developing and maintaining OSM's policy and projects by providing technical and analytical staff resources for regulatory and reclamation programs. The Division works with the Regions in coordinating technical projects and initiatives.
The Division provides guidance for technology transfer activities located in the three Regional Coordinating Centers and provides technical and program information to State, Tribal and OSM personnel and the general public. The Division performs technical analyses and handles technical projects. The Division pursues initiatives designed to advance OSM=s environmental protection, mining and reclamation, and technology programs. The Division provides assistance to the Directorate, field and States on water-related technical, engineering, and other scientific issues in mine land reclamation.
6/29/01 #3368
Replaces 4/17/97 #3146