[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 239 (Wednesday, December 13, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64079-64081]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-30396]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Petitions for Modification
This notice amends a petition document published in the Federal
Register on November 13, 1995 (60 FR 57025), docket number M-95-156-C,
Amax Coal Company and Clipmate Corporation, Chinook Mine (I.D. No. 12-
00322). The petitioner filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 77.1303(y) (1) and (2) (explosives, handling and use) instead of 30
CFR 75.1303(y) (1) and (2).
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. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-157-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 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 No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-07108) located in
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use air
passing through inaccessible abandoned workings and additional areas
not examined and which is currently mixing with the air in the intake
haulage slope to ventilate the active working section, and to ensure
the maintenance of air quality through the sampling of section intake
air for carbon dioxide, methane, and oxygen deficiency at the gangway
level during the preshift and on-shift examinations. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the
same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
2. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-158-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.335 (construction of seals) to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No.
36-07108) 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.
3. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-159-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 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. 36-07108) located in Northumberland County,
Pennsylvania. Due to hazardous conditions and roof falls, certain areas
of the intake haulage slope and primary escapeway cannot be traveled
safely. The petitioner proposes to examine these areas 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 alternative method would provide at least the same
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
[[Page 64080]]
4. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-160-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.1100-2 (quantity and location of firefighting equipment)
to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-07108) 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.
5. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-161-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (mine map) to its No. 1 Slope (I.D. No. 36-
07108) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner
proposes to use cross-sections instead of contour lines through the
intake slope, at locations of rock tunnel connections between veins,
and at 1,000-foot intervals of advance from the intake slope and to
limit the required mapping of the mine workings above and below to
those present within 100 feet of the veins being mined except when
veins are interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit
through rock tunnel. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
6. R.S. Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-162-C]
R.S. Coal Company, 729-B West Shamokin Street, Trevorton,
Pennsylvania 17881-1461 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. 36-07108) located in
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to revise
and supplement mine maps annually instead of every 6 months, as
required, and to update maps daily by hand notations. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the
same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
7. Consolidation Coal Company
[Docket No. M-95-163-C]
Consolidation Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.804(a) (underground high-voltage cables) to
its Blacksville No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 46-01968) located in Monongalia
County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use a high-voltage
(4,160-volt) cable with an internal ground check conductor smaller than
No. 10 (A.W.G.) as a part of its longwall mining system. The type of
cable would be the CABLE/BICC Anaconda brand, 5 kV, 3/C, Type SHD+GC;
Amercable Tiger brand, 3/C, 5 kV, Type SHD-CGC; Pirelli 5 kV, 3/C, Type
SHD-CENTER-GC; or similar 5,000-volt cable with center ground check
conductor, but otherwise manufactured to the ICEA Standard S-75-381 for
Type SHD, three-conductor cables accepted by MSHA as flame-resistant.
The petitioner states that the cable would be constructed of
symmetrical 3/C, 3/G, and 1/GC; the ground check conductor would be
insulated flexible center conductor with a cross-sectional area not
less than 1,800 circular mils; that all electrical personnel who
perform maintenance on the longwall would receive training in the
installation and repair of the cable; and that proposed revision(s) for
the approved 30 CFR Part 48 training plan would be submitted to the
Coal Mine Safety and Health District Manager and would specify task
training, including review of the proposed terms and conditions of this
petition. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard.
8. The Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-95-164-C]
The Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, 6400 South Fiddler's
Green Circle, Englewood, Colorado 80111-4991 has filed a petition to
modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and gas wells) to its
North River No. 1 (I.D. No. 01-00759) located in Tuscaloosa County,
Alabama. The petitioner proposes to plug and mine through oil and gas
wells. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard.
9. Elk Run Coal Company, Inc.
[Docket No. M-95-165-C]
Elk Run Coal Company, Inc., Box 497, Sylvester, West Virginia 25193
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.333(d)(1)
(ventilation controls) to its Black King Mine (I.D. No. 46-08230), its
White Knight Mine (I.D. No. 46-08055), and its Bishop 2 Mine (I.D. No.
46-08181) all located in Boone County, West Virginia; and its Laurel
Alma Mine (I.D. No. 46-08457), and its Laurel Eagle Mine (I.D. No. 46-
08383) both located in Raleigh County, West Virginia. The petitioner
proposes to use electronically operated Roll-Down Doors constructed of
rubber material similar to those used in conveyor belts to control
ventilation within the air course in the main entries instead of heavy
Metal Doors. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would
the mandatory standard.
10. Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation
[Docket No. M-95-166-C]
Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation, Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
Corporation, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air courses and belt haulage entries) to
its Willow Creek Mine (I.D. No. 42-02113) located in Carbon County,
Utah. The petitioner proposes to use the belt entry in its longwall
development entries as a return entry during longwall development and
to use the belt entry as an intake entry during longwall retreat mining
and in some mains during and after development. The petitioner proposes
to install carbon monoxide detectors as an early warning fire detection
system in the longwall panel intake escapeway entry and the panel belt
entry used as a return air course. 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
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
11. Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation
[Docket No. M-95-167-C]
Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation, Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
Corporation, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location of trolley wires, trolley
feeder wires, high-voltage cables
[[Page 64081]]
and transformers) to its Willow Creek Mine (I.D. No. 42-02113) located
in Carbon County, Utah. The petitioner proposes to use high-voltage
(2,400 or 4,160 volt) cables to power longwall mining equipment. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
12. Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation
[Docket No. M-95-168-C]
Cyprus Plateau Mining Corporation, Buchanan Ingersoll Professional
Corporation, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.352 (return air courses) to its Willow Creek
Mine (I.D. No. 42-02113) located in Carbon County, Utah. The petitioner
proposes to use the belt entry in its longwall development entries as a
return entry during longwall development. The petitioner proposes to
install carbon monoxide detectors as an early warning fire detection
system in the longwall panel intake escapeway entry and the panel belt
entry used as a return air course. 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
alternative 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 January 12, 1996.
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated: December 6, 1995.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 95-30396 Filed 12-12-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P