[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