Montana Regulatory Program

We, the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE), are announcing receipt of a proposed amendment to the Montana regulatory program (Montana program) under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA or the Act). Montana proposes an addition to the Montana Code Annotated, which requires the adoption of regulations pertaining to in situ coal gasification. This change was necessitated by a senate bill approved by the 2011 Montana Legislature. Montana also proposes revisions and additions to the Administrative Rules of Montana to satisfy the new statutory requirement. This document provides the times and locations that the Montana program and this proposed amendment to Montana's program are available for your inspection; the comment period during which you may submit written comments on the amendment; and the procedures that we will follow for the public hearing, if one is requested.