Home / Agencies / Interior / 2025-21440
Final Rule

Backfilling and Grading

Agency
Interior
Document Number
2025-21440
Published
November 28, 2025
Effective Date
January 27, 2026

Abstract

This direct final rule revises the Federal regulations to rescind an obsolete regulation that was suspended by the Secretary of the Interior in 1992 and that has been inoperative for 33 years. The regulations prescribed time and distance performance standards for the completion of rough backfilling and grading for surface mining operations.

Federal Register Source

This document is published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration. Access the full regulatory text, preamble, and docket comments below.

View Full Text on FederalRegister.gov →

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 2025-21440 Federal Register document?
Document 2025-21440 is a Final Rule published by the Department of Interior in the Federal Register on November 28, 2025, with an effective date of January 27, 2026. This direct final rule revises the Federal regulations to rescind an obsolete regulation that was suspended by the Secretary of the Interior in 1992 and that has been inoperative for 33 years. The regulations prescribed time and distance performance standards for the completion of rough backfilling and grading for surface mining operations. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/11/28/2025-21440/backfilling-and-grading.
Is document 2025-21440 an economically significant rule?
No. Document 2025-21440 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.

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