Laserfiche WebLink
:..d~''~~il!91 15:17 USDI OSMRE%RFO F70.~~l~4 88. <br />Steven G. Renner <br />3 of 4 - MLRD is to submit additional information within 10 days from <br />receipt of AFO's April 22, 1991, letter. MLRD wished <br />clarification and time to review the issue raised by this <br />violation. <br />4 of 4 - The summary of the June 20, 1990, quarterly meeting that was <br />sent to Fred Banta on July 5, 1990, stated "AFO believes that <br />self-insurance would be allowable if appropriate regulations <br />were promulgated for the State program. The self-insurance <br />question will be incorporated as an element of the 1991 annual <br />report workplan." The 1991 Workplan, as amended March 4, 1991, <br />lists liability insurance as an evaluation topic under the <br />mining oermit aRQllcations. The April 22, 1991, AFO finding of <br />an inappropriate response to the Ten-Day Notice (TON) states <br />"AFO agrees that this issue has been identified as an element <br />of the 1991 Workplan. This identification of an issue for <br />Workplan does not preclude an enforcement action even if <br />violation will eventually be addressed by the results o <br />Workplan. In essence, the violation exists in the fief <br />must be cited. Acknowledgement of an issue for a Workplan noes <br />not alleviate the need to take action if field conditions <br />indicate that a violation of the regulations exist." <br />I find nothing in the record that would change the April 22, <br />1991, finding. Although the use of the words "self-insurance <br />question" in the July 5, 1990, letter may indicate an <br />uncertainty on AFO's part, it is believed that the prior <br />sentence in that letter clearly states AFO's position on the <br />acceptability of self-insurance under Colorado's program as it <br />is presently written. The "question" is one of how widespread <br />the use may be and what actions should be taken to amend the <br />State program to allow the use of self-insurance in the future. <br />Designation of this as a programmatic issue and use of an <br />approach other than a TON is not considered to be appropriate <br />at this time. OSM Directive INE-35 describes the circumstances <br />under which a TDN should not be issued for a programmatic iss~~ <br />as follows: "When a 732 letter has been issued or the writte~~ <br />schedule committed to by the State regulatory authority 1s <br />being met, Field Offices shall notify the regulatory authority <br />in writing of any additional violations observed during Federal <br />i~ section which are subject of the program amendment and which <br />m~., require appropriate action to be taken after the State has <br />amended its program." <br />