[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 91 (Thursday, May 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-11573]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: May 12, 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. Little Rock Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-43-C]

    Little Rock Coal Company, RD #2, Box 40, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(1), 
(4) and (5) (weekly examination) to its Lykens Valley #1 Vein Slope 
(I.D. No. 36-08320) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. Due to 
hazardous conditions, daily or weekly traveling of the intake air 
course significantly increases the fall potential. The petitioner 
proposes to examine the intake haulage slope and primary escapeway from 
the gunboat/slope car with an alternative air quality evaluation at the 
section's intake level, and to travel and thoroughly examine these 
areas for hazardous conditions once a month. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. K & L Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-44-C]

    K & L Coal Company, RD #1, Box 266, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200(i) 
(mine map) to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-06649) 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.

3. K & L Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-45-C]

    K & L Coal Company, RD #1, Box 266, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100-2(a) 
(quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its No. 1 Slope 
(I.D. No. 36-06649) 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 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. K & L Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-46-C]

    K & L Coal Company, RD #1, Box 266, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202-1(a) 
(temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to its No. 1 Slope 
(I.D. No. 36-06649) 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.

5. K & L Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-47-C]

    K & L Coal Company, RD #1, Box 266, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360 
(preshift examination) to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-06649) located 
in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to 
examine each seal for physical damage from the slope gunboat during the 
pre-shift examination after an air quantity reading is taken inby the 
intake 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 alternate method would provide at least the same measure 
of protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. K & L Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-48-C]

    K & L Coal Company, RD #1, Box 266, Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(1), 
(4) and (5) (weekly examination) to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-06649) 
located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Due to hazardous 
conditions, daily or weekly traveling of the intake air course 
significantly increases the fall potential. The petitioner proposes to 
examine the intake haulage slope and primary escapeway from the 
gunboat/slope car with an alternative air quality evaluation at the 
section's intake level, and to travel and thoroughly examine these 
areas for hazardous conditions once a month. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. Harman Mining Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-49-C]

    Harman Mining Corporation, P.O. Box 60, Harman, Virginia 24628 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.215(j) (refuse 
piles; construction requirements) to its Coal Preparation Plant (I.D. 
No. 44-02714) located in Buchanan County, Virginia. The petitioner 
proposes to continue monitoring the refuse pile, I.D. No. 1211-VA5-
0005.05 by subsurface investigation and thermal monitoring instead of 
extinguishing the refuse pile fire. The petitioner states that 
application of the standard would result in a diminution of safety for 
the miners. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternate method would provide at least the same measure of protection 
as would the mandatory standard.

8. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-50-C]

    Consolidation Coal Company, 1800 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the application 
of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(1)(weekly examination) to its Robinson Run No. 95 
Mine (I.D. No. 46-01318) located in Harrison County, West Virginia. Due 
to deteriorating roof and rib conditions, the Shaft Circle air course 
located near the intersection of 94 block, Main North to Oakdale Shaft, 
cannot be traveled safely. The petitioner proposes to establish check 
points CP #1, CP #2, and CP #3 to monitor the quantity of air 
ventilating the affected area; and to have a certified person test for 
methane and the quantity of air on a weekly basis and record the 
results in a record book kept on the surface and made available to all 
interested persons. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would 
the mandatory standard.

9. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-51-C]

    Consolidation Coal Company, 1800 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the application 
of 30 CFR 75.364(b) (weekly examination) to its Loveridge No. 22 Mine 
(I.D. No. 46-01433) located in Marion County, West Virginia. Due to 
deteriorating roof and rib conditions in the air course along the West 
Side of the Main North entries that flow south from 1 North (adjacent 
to 3 North Crossover Seals) to the junction with the 1 West entries, 
the entire area cannot be traveled safely. The petitioner proposes to 
establish check points to monitor the quantity of air; and to have a 
certified person test for methane and the quantity of air on a weekly 
basis and record the results in a record book kept on the surface and 
made available to all interested persons. The petitioner asserts that 
the proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure 
of protection as would the mandatory standard.

10. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-52-C]

    Consolidation Coal Company, 1800 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the application 
of 30 CFR 75.364(b) (2), (4) and (c)(3) (weekly examination) to its 
Ireland Mine (I.D. No. 46-01438) located in Marshall County, West 
Virginia. Due to deteriorating roof and rib conditions in the 4 South 
seals and certain air courses from the 4 South seals to the No. 2 Fan, 
the area cannot be traveled safely. The petitioner proposes to change 
the location of air measuring stations ``C'' and ``D'' and to continue 
evaluating daily air measuring stations ``A'' and ``B'' that were 
established in Decision and Order dated July 17, 1989, Docket No. M-88-
252-C; to post a sign in the adjacent travel entry designating the 
location of these measuring stations in the adjacent travel entry; to 
establish an air measuring station ``F'' on the surface at Ireland Mine 
No. 2 Fan in lieu of air measuring stations ``C'' and ``D''; and to 
have a certified person monitor each air measuring station daily and 
record the results in a book that would be provided at each air 
measuring station and on the surface and made available to all 
interested persons. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would 
the mandatory standard.

11. Kerr-McGee Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-53-C]

    Kerr-McGee Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 727, Harrisburg, Illinois 
62946 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.503 
(permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) to its Galatia Mine 
(I.D. No. 11-02752) located in Saline County, Illinois. The petitioner 
proposes to use electric motor-driven mine equipment in a longwall 
recovery room. This equipment would serve as a power center 
(transformer) in intake air to furnish power to roofbolters with a 1200 
foot long, Number 2, G-GC, 2KV trail cable, protected for a short 
circuit fault with an instantaneous circuit breaker set at not more 
than 600 amperes at all points of the recovery room. The petitioner 
asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the 
same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

12. Buck Mountain Coal Company No. 2

[Docket No. M-94-54-C]

    Buck Mountain Coal Company No. 2, R.D. #2, Box 425-B2, Pine Grove, 
Pennsylvania 17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.332 (b)(1) and (b)(2) (working sections and working places) to 
its Buck Mountain Slope (I.D. No. 36-02053) located in Schuylkill 
County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use air passing 
through inaccessible abandoned workings and additional areas by mixing 
with the air in the intake haulage slope to ventilate the only active 
working section, to ensure air quality by sampling intake air during 
pre-shift and on-shift examinations, and to suspend mine production 
when air quality fails to meet specified criteria. The petitioner 
asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide at least the 
same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

13. Eighty-Four Mining Company

[Docket No. M-94-55-C]

    Eighty-Four Mining Company, P.O. Box 729, Indiana, Pennsylvania 
15701 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1101-
8(a) (water sprinkler systems; arrangement of sprinklers) to its Mine 
84 (I.D. No. 36-00958) located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The 
petitioner proposes to install a thermostat device on the electrical 
control side of the belt so that when it is activated it would de-
energize the belt control side of the Combination Box and trigger an 
audible and visual alarm to miner's working in the immediate area; to 
have a qualified person examine, test, and properly maintain on a 
weekly basis each Combination Box to assure safe operating conditions; 
and to record the results of each examination in a book. The petitioner 
states that application of the standard would result in a diminution of 
safety to the miners. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

14. Soldier Creek Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-56-C]

    Soldier Creek Coal Company, P.O. Box 1029, Wellington, Utah 84542 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.380(d)(4) 
(escapeways; bituminous and lignite mines) to its Soldier Canyon Mine 
(I.D. No. 42-00077) located in Carbon County, Utah. The petitioner 
requests a modification of the standard to allow the 4 foot wide 
stairway at overcasts installed prior to November 16, 1992 to be used 
as an underground escapeway instead of using a 6 foot wide escapeway. 
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternate method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

15. Cyprus Sierrita Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-01-M]

    Cyprus Sierrita Corporation, 9100 E. Mineral Circle, Englewood, 
California 80112 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 56.6309 (fuel oil requirements for ANFO) to its Sierrita Mine (I.D. 
No. 02-00144) located in Pima County, Arizona. The petitioner proposes 
to blend recycled oil with fuel oil to create a blasting agent. 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 June 13, 1994. 
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated: May 5, 1994.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.
[FR Doc. 94-11573 Filed 5-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P