General Reclamation Requirements

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) is delaying the effective date of the direct final rule "General Reclamation Requirements," published on November 28, 2025. The direct final rule revised the Federal regulations to rescind language requiring compliance with the regulations when funding reclamation projects with prior balance replacement funds, which are moneys from the United States Treasury's General Fund that replaced State or Tribal share funds that were allocated before October 1, 2007, but never appropriated by Congress. During the comment period, OSM received comments that require further review and consideration to determine whether they are significant adverse comments warranting a response, withdrawal, or modification of the final rule.