[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-3389]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: February 14, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration

 

Petitions for Modification

    The following parties have filed petitions to modify the 
application of mandatory safety standards under section 101(c) of the 
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-94-06-C]

    Pittsburg and Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood, 
Colorado 80155 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
77.1304 (blasting agents; special provisions) to its McKinley Mine 
(I.D. No. 29-00096) located in McKinley County, New Mexico. The 
petitioner requests a modification of the standard to permit the use of 
fuel oil, blended with recycled oil as a blasting agent. The petitioner 
proposes to blend recycled oil with No. 2 fuel oil to use in the ANFO 
blasting media; to use a 10,000 gallon recycled oil/diesel fuel blend 
tank, transfer pump, valves, flow meter, filter housing, and necessary 
piping; to isolate the 10,000 gallon tank from the 250,000 gallon tank 
to eliminate the possibility of fuel contamination; and to visually 
inspect the filter element bypass each time the system is used. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at 
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. Interstate Thermal Energy Conversion Corporation (ITEC)

[Docket No. M-94-07-C]

    Interstate Thermal Energy Conversion Corporation, 50 West Main 
Street, P.O. Drawer 1187, Uniontown, Pennsylvania 15401 has filed a 
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(2) (weekly 
examination) to its Clyde Mine (I.D. No. 36-00967) located in 
Washington County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to maintain 
proper ventilation in the return air course by traveling the right 1 
West Main return airway to the piping overcast in order to view 
through, then enter the adjacent entry by a man door in the stopping 
wall to examine the entry the piping goes through, and exit the entry 
by a man door into the next adjacent entry and look back through the 
piping for that examination with the other return pipe overcasts. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at 
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. SBM Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-08-C]

    SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.335 
(construction of seals) to its M&R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) located in 
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a 
modification of the standard to permit alternative methods of 
construction using wooden materials of moderate size and weight due to 
the difficulty in accessing previously driven headings and breasts 
containing inaccessible abandoned workings; to accept a design criteria 
in the 10 psi range; and to permit the water trap to be installed in 
the gangway seal and sampling tube in the monkey seal for seals 
installed in pairs. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. SBM Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-09-C]

    SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100-2(a)(2) 
(quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its M&R Slope 
(I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The 
petitioner proposes to use only portable fire extinguishers to replace 
existing requirements where rock dust, water cars, and other water 
storage are not practical. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternate method would provide at least the same measure of protection 
as would the mandatory standard.

5. SBM Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-10-C]

    SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360 (preshift 
examination) to its M&R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) located in 
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to examine 
each seal for physical damage from the slope gunboat during the 
preshift examination after an air quantity reading is taken in by the 
portal and to test for the quantity and quality of air at the intake 
air split locations off the slope in the gangway portion of the working 
section. The petitioner proposes to physically examine the entire 
length of the slope once a month. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. SBM Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-11-C]

    SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202-1(a) 
(temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to its M&R Slope 
(I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The 
petitioner proposes to revise and supplement mine maps on an annual 
basis instead of the required 6 month interval and to update maps daily 
by hand notations. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would 
the mandatory standard.

7. SBM Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-12-C]

    SBM Coal Company, R.D. #2, Box 97A, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200(i) (mine 
map) to its M & R Slope (I.D. No. 36-05495) located in Northumberland 
County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to limit the mapping of 
mine workings above and below to those present within 100 feet of the 
vein being mined except when veins are interconnected to other veins 
beyond the 100 feet limit through rock tunnels. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

8. Gatliff Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-13-C]

    Gatliff Coal Company, P.O. Box 39, Nevisdale, Kentucky 40754 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360(b)(6) 
(preshift examination) to its Blue Gem #6 Deep Mine (I.D. No. 15-12475) 
located in Whitley County, Kentucky. Due to adverse roof conditions in 
the parallel intake air course, the area cannot be traveled safely. The 
petitioner states that the area involved was driven off a parallel pure 
intake air course prior to the new ventilation regulation of November 
1992, that even with extensive cribbing the intake area has developed 
adverse roof conditions, and that to perform preshift examinations of 
the room necks would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to install 
methane detecting sensors at the areas of approach in the parallel 
intakes and an additional methane detecting sensor where the air which 
has coursed by these room necks, driven in excess of 20 feet deep, 
joins with the main mine intake. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

9. Arclar Company

[Docket No. M-94-14-C]

    Arclar Company, 29 West Raymond, P.O. Box 444, Harrisburg, Illinois 
62946 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 18.41 to 
its Big Ridge Mine (I.D. No. 11-02879) located in Saline County, 
Illinois. The petitioner proposes to use fabricated metal locking 
devices with a locking screw threaded through a steel bracket to lock 
battery plugs to machine-mounted battery receptacles on permissible, 
mobile, battery-powered machines instead of using padlocks; and to 
submit a training plan for all operators of this equipment concerning 
this proposed alternate method to the Agency and District Manager.

10. AKZO Salt, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-05-M]

    AKZO Salt, Inc., P.O. Box 6920, Cleveland, Ohio 44101 has filed a 
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 57.19109 to its Cleveland 
Mine (I.D. No. 33-01994) located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The 
petitioner proposes to install pairs of cables approximately 4 feet 
above and parallel to the divider timbers to enhance the function of 
the timbers; to cover the sides of each divider timber with ultra-high 
molecular weight polyethylene material to reduce abrasion to the 
timbers; in addition to water slicing, to inspect the shaft prior to 
conducting any work on the platform to ensure that there are no loose 
material on the sides of the shaft; to place barricades around the 
shaft at both the collar and mine level prior to doing work on the 
platform; and to provide training to all personnel working on the 
platform. The petitioner states that to place boards across the shaft 
at the mine level when personnel are required to work on the dividers 
would result in a diminution of safety and would expose miners to 
hazardous conditions. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

Request for Comments

    Persons interested in these petitions may furnish written comments. 
These comments must be filed with the Office of Standards, Regulations 
and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, room 627, 4015 
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments must be 
postmarked or received in that office on or before March 16, 1994. 
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated: February 8, 1994
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.
[FR Doc. 94-3389 Filed 2-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P