Backfilling and Grading
Built by the Tribune's code from the Federal Register. No AI wrote this page. Published in the Federal Register March 31, 2026. Document 2026-06197. Updated Nov. 13, 2026.
- What it does
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is confirming the effective date of the direct final rule entitled, "Backfilling and Grading," which was originally published on November 28, 2025. The direct final rule rescinded a regulation that prescribed time and distance performance standards for the completion of rough backfilling and grading for surface mining operations that were suspended by the Secretary of the Interior in 1992 but never removed from the Code of Federal Regulations. During the comment period, OSM received two comments that required further review and consideration to determine whether the comments warranted a response or the withdrawal or modification of the final rule. After further review and consideration, OSM determined that these comments were not significant adverse comments and is confirming the effective date of this rule.
The Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office's summary, as published in the Federal Register.
- What changed in the regulation
1 part of Title 30 of the Code of Federal Regulations:
Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).
- Compared with
The Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office has published 21 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 24 in all of 2025.
Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.
- Before this
2 earlier Federal Register documents under regulation identifier 1029-AD03 since Jan. 1, 2025.
- What happens next and when
The effective date of March 30, 2026, for the direct final rule published at 90 FR 54573 (Nov. 28, 2025), delayed at 91 FR 3374 January 27, 2026, is confirmed.
The agency's dates, word for word.
The record as published
| Document number | 2026-06197 |
|---|---|
| Action | Direct final rule; confirmation of effective date. |
| Agencies | Interior Department; Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Office |
| Published | March 31, 2026 |
| Effective date | March 30, 2026 |
| Regulation identifier (RIN) | 1029-AD03 |
| Docket | OSM-2025-0025 |
Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register