The U.S. Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) has, in a move to advance the nation’s energy independence and economic vitality, formally rescinded a total of 14 obsolete or redundant regulations.
This important step reflects the Trump administration’s broader goal of reducing regulations, creating jobs and encouraging responsible energy development, including several tied to abandoned mine lands.
The now-removed rules will be officially published in the Federal Register, marking a critical milestone in the administration’s government-wide deregulatory agenda aimed at eliminating unnecessary barriers to economic growth.
Rescinded regulations include:
1. 30 CFR 870.13 – Regarding abandoned mine lands fee rates.
2. 30 CFR 872.29 and 872.31 – Regarding abandoned mine lands prior balance funds.
3. 30 CFR 872.30 – Regarding abandoned mine lands prior balance funds.
4. 30 CFR 872.13 – Regarding abandoned mine lands prior balance funds.
5. 30 CFR 885.12 – Regarding language identifying obsolete funds for certified states and tribes.
6. 30 CFR 875.16 – Regarding language identifying obsolete funds to eligible states and tribes each fiscal year.
7. 30 CFR 816.46 & 817.46 – Regarding portions of permanent program performance standards related to siltation structures.
8. 30 CFR 817.121 – Regarding portions of permanent program performance standards regulating subsidence controls for underground mines.
9. 30 CFR 872.27 – Regarding revision of the regulations and removing references to prior balance replacement funds and the phase-in schedule for minimum program make up fund distributions.
10. 30 CFR 874.11 – Regarding the regulations related to prior balance replacement funds.
11. 30 CFR 872,874, 875, 879, 886, & 887 – Regarding the regulations related to prior balance replacement funds.
12. 30 CFR 700.1 – Regarding obsolete regulations related to the scope of the Federal regulations implementing the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
13. 30 CFR 700.11 – Regarding obsolete regulations related to the applicability of the Federal regulations implementing the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977.
14. 30 CFR 816.101 – Regarding backfilling and grading: time and distance requirements.
The OSMRE said the initiative builds on Secretary’s Order 3421, which called on Interior Department agencies to review and remove outdated or overly complex rules. It additionally supports President Trump’s Executive Order 14154, which requires agencies to balance the cost of new regulations by cutting old ones that create unnecessary economic burdens.
“This effort embodies our dedication to removing bureaucratic red tape that hinders American innovation and energy production,” said OSMRE director Lanny Erdos.
“By rescinding these outdated regulations, we are not only reducing costs and streamlining processes but also reinforcing our commitment to energy independence and national prosperity — all while maintaining the highest standards of environmental stewardship.”
Source: osmre.gov