[PCA] Opportunity to comment on proposal by Office of Surface Mining regarding revegetation
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Tue Mar 29 08:07:10 CST 2005
Thank you Sonya for posting this message. Restoration seems to be a common
thread through all of the PCA working groups. This posting below should be
of interest to all of us who are working toward the (responsible) use of
native species.
To see the full proposal, go to: <http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html>
Under 2005 Quick Search, type: "office surface revegetation"
Comment period opened on March 17 and runs for 60 days. See news release
for information on how to submit comments.
Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 750
Arlington, VA 22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276
Working for the conservation and sustainable use of our green natural
resources.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 03/29/2005 08:51
AM -----
Sonya
<msredsonya at earthlink.net> To: MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
Sent by: cc:
MPWG-bounces at lists.plantconse Subject: [MPWG] OSM will propose new revegetation rule to encourage species diversity
rvation.org and remove,barriers to reforestation on mined lands
03/29/2005 05:24 AM
Department of the Interior http://www.doi.gov/
March 15, 2005 Contact: Mike Gauldin For immediate release (202) 208-2565
mgauldin at osmre.gov OSM will propose new revegetation rule to
encourage species diversity and remove
barriers to reforestation on mined lands
(Washington) The US Office of Surface Mining is proposing a rule that
will encourage diversity of plant species on reclaimed mine lands and
remove impediments to planting trees.The proposed rule is scheduled for
publication Thursday, March 17 in the Federal Register. It also includes
provisions which would provide States more flexibility in using success
standards and sampling techniques and make the timing of revegetation
success measurements consistent nationwide.
"This is an opportunity to make some relatively minor but significant
changes that should pay big dividends in enhanced environmental values,"
said Jeff Jarrett, Director of OSM. "It is our hope that this
revegetation effort, combined with our recent reforestation initiatives,
is going to take us a long way toward restoring mined lands to the kind
of healthy, thriving and diverse landscapes that existed before mining
took place."
The proposed rule would make minor changes to OSM's regulations
governing topsoil replacement and revegetation success standards. A
public outreach initiative to review and assess the revegetation
regulations was conducted prior to publishing the rule and included ten
public meetings held around the country. The rule is being proposed in
response to several revegetation issues that have been raised both by
the public and internally within OSM.
These proposed revisions will:
encourage species diversity on reclaimed land by allowing variable
topsoil depth replacement;
remove an impediment to the reforestation of mined lands by providing
more flexibility in demonstrating compliance with the time in place
requirements;
set minimum conditions that must be satisfied for lands with a
post-mining land use of "undeveloped land;"
The rule will also improve implementation of revegetation efforts by:
giving States flexibility to adopt additional success standards and new
sampling techniques by removing the current requirement that such
changes have to be approved by the federal government; providing a
practical means of measuring woody shrubs commonly planted in the West
by allowing the inclusion of woody plants that are present on reclaimed
lands as a result regeneration or plant succession;
improving revegetation incentives in arid areas by making success
measures in those regions consistent with those in areas with more
annual precipitation by eliminating the requirement that revegetation
success be demonstrated in consecutive years in areas receiving less
than 26 inches of precipitation.
The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed changes. Those wishing
to comment on this proposed rule may do so by one of three methods: mail
or hand-carry comments to the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement, Administrative Record, Mail Stop 101, 1951 Constitution
Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20240 or send comments via electronic mail to
rules_comments at osmre.gov.
http://www.doi.gov/news/05_News_Releases/050316b
--
Sonya PLoS Medicine
The open-access general medical journal from the Public Library of Science
Inaugural issue: Autumn 2004 Share your discoveries with the world.
http://www.plosmedicine.org
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