Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Yes, sir. Both the State and OSM are hiring. They just received the money in the last three or four weeks, and they are actively recruiting.

Mr. YATES. Have you got a work plan?

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Yes. There's a work plan that shows how many people we need to do the job, exactly who we need to hire and what they'll be doing.

If it would be helpful, Mr. Chairman, I have an update on where we stand and how much money we're going to spend, if it would be helpful.

Mr. YATES. Okay. That may go into the record.

[The information follows:]

DSMRE has screened 75 applicants and are in the process of scheduling employment interviews to comply with the hiring schedule.

The Office of General Counsel now has on board 12 attorneys and 1 para legal. One legal secretary is to start work March 10. Interviewing is being continued to find other qualified personnnel.

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. This is the letter we wrote to you that gives some more information about the status of the cooperative agreement. I'd like to submit it for the record, too.

Mr. YATES. Sure.

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Basically, I suggest that we and the State personnel brief the staff of this Committee and other committees on a quarterly basis, if not more often. We would discuss exactly what we're doing, what is happening, the kind of progress we're making, and if we foresee any problems. [The information follows:]

84-150 0-88-7

United States Department of the Interior

OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING

Reclamation and Enforcement
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240

In Reply

Refer To:
3210
LLG 2

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the status of
activities regarding the Kentucky Settlement Agreement as directed
by language contained in the Fiscal Year 1988 Continuing Resolution.
The language requires the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement (OSMRE) to report on progress made toward reaching the
goals of the agreement.

I am pleased to inform the Committee that OSMRE and the Commonwealth
of Kentucky signed a Cooperative Agreement on February 23. The
Cooperative Agreement identifies funding levels, timetables and
program requirements necessary to meet the terms of the settlement
agreement. I am confident that positive progress will continue to
be made. A requirement of the agreement is that Kentucky will
submit quarterly progress reports to OSMRE within 30 days after the
end of each quarter. The first report is for the period ending
March 31, 1988 and is due by April 29. To keep the Committee
abreast of on-going activities, I will submit to the Committee a
copy of the quarterly reports received from the State as they become
available.

I am pleased to report that the Kentucky Department for Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (DSMRE) has screened 75 potential applicants and are continuing to schedule employment interviews to meet the hiring schedule. As of March 7, 1988, 13 individuals have been hired. The DSMRE has also ordered most of the approved equipment.

An identical letter is being sent to the Honorable Robert C. Byrd, Chairman, Subcommittee on Interior and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, United States Senate.

Sincerely,

Jed). Christensen

Director

TIPS STEERING COMMITTEE AND FUNDING

Mr. YATES. What function will the TIPS steering group have in Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989?

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. Let me ask Mr. Boldt to respond to that.
Mr. YATES. Okay.

Mr. BOLDT. The TIPS steering committee is a group of State and Federal representatives who primarily review the technical specifications of the system to make sure that it has the kind of software that will adequately meet State and Federal needs. They meet quarterly to review the progress of the system, system specifications and also make sure that the milestones for the development of the system are being met.

Mr. YATES. What amount of funding do you need to support your effort?

Mr. BOLDT. For Fiscal Year 1989?

Mr. YATES. Yes.

Mr. BOLDT. $1.4 million.

Mr. YATES. Is the installation of the supercomputer in the western field office completed?

Mr. BOLDT. Yes. We're in the process right now, with this year's money, of acquiring the work stations for the States and for ourselves and also some of the software packages.

Mr. YATES. What is the additional funding you'll need to complete development and maintain TIPS?

Mr. BOLDT. That's for operational costs. Once the system becomes operational, the State will be tied into the minicomputer in Denver. The money in there is to pay for the cost of the communications network, the cost of operating the computer and also the cost of more software packages and their installation.

TECHNICAL STUDIES

Mr. YATES. What technical study priorities are there for Fiscal Year 1989?

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. For technical research?

Mr. YATES. Yes.

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. We've been going through quite an effort to determine how we want to spend our research money, which is a limited amount. We have a committee that complies and evaluates the needs as far as we and the States are concerned. That committee is just getting ready to meet and will make their report to the OSM Directorate shortly.

VALID EXISTING RIGHTS

Mr. YATES. What are you currently doing with respect to remining operations on previously mined areas?

Mr. CHRISTENSEN. With regard to abandoned mine lands prior to the Act?

Mr. YATES. Your budget justification talks about potential remining locations that include lands cited in section 522(e)(5) where mining activities are prohibited within specified distances of dwellings, public buildings, schools, churches, public parks, and cemeter ies.