Interim Guidance for Implementation of the Bureau of Land Management Leasable Minerals Mine Inspector Certification Policy

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240
http://www.blm.gov/

August 14, 2009

In Reply Refer To:
3482, 3486, 3598 (320) P

EMS TRANSMISSION 08/27/2009
Instruction Memorandum No. 2009-201
Expires: 09/30/2010

To: State Directors

From: Assistant Director, Minerals and Realty Management

Subject: Interim Guidance for Implementation of the Bureau of Land Management Leasable Minerals Mine Inspector Certification Policy

Program Area: Coal and Other Solid Leasable Minerals Management.

Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) provides policy and guidance for certification of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) personnel who inspect mining operations on leasable Federal solid minerals for compliance with lease terms, the mining plan, and other regulatory requirements.

Policy: The BLM SDs will require mines on leasable minerals to be inspected by certified BLM MMIs. The certification of the BLM Leasable Minerals Mine Inspectors (MMI) by the State Director (SD) assures the BLM Director that each MMI has demonstrated the competence, knowledge, and skills that enable him or her to consistently monitor and measure compliance with all established requirements and received mandatory safety training. The Deputy State Director (DSD) will give the inspector the opportunity to take the mandatory safety and certification training, the annual safety retraining and the MMI maintenance certification training. Upon the receipt of an application and recommendation for certification of an inspector by the mentoring MMI and the immediate supervisor, the DSD will review the qualifications of the inspector and make certification recommendations to the SD. Qualifications and certification procedures are provided in Attachment 1, BLM Mine Inspector Certification Requirements.

Timeframe: Within 12 months after issuance of this Instruction Memorandum (IM), all MMI duties must be completed by a certified inspector in compliance with this policy.

Budget Impact: Funds will be required to facilitate training (See Attachment 2, Budget to Implement and Maintain the MMI Certification Policy). The Washington Office will maintain funding for the initial safety and certification training, and annual retraining will be provided by each state office.

Background: Preliminary mine inspector certification policies were provided in section A of the Inspection and Enforcement Guidelines and section B of the Production Verification Guidelines, collectively known as the “Red Book” distributed by the Washington Office, Division of Solid Mineral Operations (WO-660) on October 21, 1985. These guidelines were never formally incorporated into the BLM directives system. However, these guidelines have served as the BLM’s policy guidance for inspection, enforcement, and production verification for solid leasable minerals since their inception. Other solid mineral programs have required certification of mining engineers and geologists through the Certification as a Mineral Examiner (CME) which signifies that the individual has met the basic training and skill levels to independently perform a mineral examination of a mining claim or site under the General Mining Law of 1872, as amended. Both the Red Book guidelines and the CME manual have been reviewed and portions used in the development of the MMI certification policy.

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Manual Sections 3480 and 3590 will be developed to incorporate the certification of Leasable Minerals Mine Inspectors in conformance to this policy.

Coordination: This policy was developed with the assistance of the BLM state offices and the National Training Center.

Contact: If you have any questions concerning the content of this IM, please contact me at 202-208-4201, or your staff may contact the Solid Minerals Division (WO-320), Division Chief Mitch Leverette, 202-452-5088, email address Mitchell_Leverette@blm.gov, John A. Lewis, 202-785-6567, email address John_A_Lewis@blm.gov, or Vince Vogt, 202-785-6570, email address Vince_Vogt@blm.gov .

Signed by: Authenticated by:
Timothy R. Spisak Robert M. Williams
Acting, Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Minerals and Realty Management

2 Attachments
1 - BLM Mine Inspector Certification Requirements (7 pp)
2 - Budget Necessary to Initiate Program and Provide Training Courses (1 p)