[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-8471]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 8, 1994]


  
  
  
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Part III





Department of Labor





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Mine Safety and Health Administration



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Coal Mine Respirable Dust Standard Noncompliance Determinations; Mine 
Shift Atmospheric Conditions; Respirable Dust Sample; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

 
Coal Mine Respirable Dust Standard Noncompliance Determinations; 
Mine Shift Atmospheric Conditions; Respirable Dust Sample

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Extension of comment periods.

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SUMMARY: In response to requests from the mining community for 
additional time in which to prepare their comments, the Mine Safety and 
Health Administration (MSHA) is extending the periods for public 
comment on two notices addressing coal mine respirable dust. The 
comment period will be extended for the notices addressing: (1) The use 
of single, full-shift respirable dust measurements to determine 
noncompliance under the MSHA coal mine respirable dust program; and (2) 
the joint finding by the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services that the average concentration of respirable dust to 
which each miner in the active workings of a coal mine is exposed can 
be measured accurately over a single shift.

DATES: All comments and information must be submitted on or before May 
20, 1994. Commenters are encouraged to send comments on a computer disk 
with their original comments in hard copy.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, 
Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, room 631, Ballston 
Tower No. 3, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia W. Silvey, Director, Office 
of Standards, Regulations and Variances, MSHA, (703) 235-1910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 18, 1994, MSHA published a 
notice in the Federal Register (59 FR 8356) announcing its intention to 
use single, full-shift respirable dust measurements, in addition to the 
average of multiple, full-shift respirable dust samples to determine 
noncompliance and issue citations for violations of the respirable dust 
standard under the MSHA coal mine respirable dust program.
    Concurrently, the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services jointly published a notice in the Federal Register 
(59 FR 8357) announcing a new finding that the average concentration of 
respirable dust to which each miner in the active workings of a coal 
mine is exposed can be accurately measured over a single shift in 
accordance with section 202(f)(2) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health 
Act of 1977. Based on this finding, the Secretaries are proposing to 
rescind the finding issued on July 17, 1971, and affirmed on February 
23, 1972.
    The comment periods for these notices were scheduled to close on 
April 19, 1994; but, in response to requests from the mining community 
for additional time in which to prepare their comments, MSHA is 
extending the comment period to May 20, 1994. All interested parties 
are encouraged to submit comments prior to that date.

    Dated: April 4, 1994.
J. Davitt McAteer,
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 94-8471 Filed 4-7-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P