[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 71 (Tuesday, April 14, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18232-18233]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-9722]


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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. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-98-19-C]

    Energy West Mining Company, P.O. Box 310, Huntington, Utah 84528 
has filed a petition requesting an amendment to the Proposed Decision 
and Order (PDO) of its previously granted petition for modification of 
30 CFR 75.350 (air courses and belt haulage entries), docket number M-
98-166-C, for its Trail Mountain Mine (I.D. No. 42-01211) located in 
Emery County, Utah. The petitioner requests that Item (u) of the 
previous PDO be amended to replace the existing language with the 
language specified in this petition in the ``Requirements Applicable to 
Two-Entry Development, Longwall Set-Up and Recovery and Retreat Mining 
Systems'' to address installation and maintenance of hydraulic fluid 
pump stations. The petitioner asserts that the changes outlined in this 
petition are necessary for the high-pressure emulsion stations within 
the two-entry longwall retreat sections at the Energy West's Trail 
Mountain Mine. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-98-20-C]

    Energy West Mining Company, P.O. Box 310, Huntington, Utah 84528 
has filed a petition requesting an amendment to the Proposed Decision 
and Order (PDO) of its previously granted petition for modification of 
30 CFR 75.352 (return air courses), docket number M-94-167-C, for its 
Trail Mountain Mine (I.D. No. 42-01211) located in Emery County, Utah. 
The petitioner requests that Item (u) of the previous PDO be amended to 
replace the existing language with the language specified in this 
petition in the ``Requirements Applicable to Two-Entry Development, 
Longwall Set-Up and Recovery and Retreat Mining Systems'' to address 
installation and maintenance of hydraulic fluid pump stations. The 
petitioner asserts that changes outlined in this petition are necessary 
for the high-pressure emulsion station within the two-entry longwall 
retreat sections at the Energy West's Trail Mountain Mine. In addition, 
the petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

3. Peabody Coal Company

[Docket No. M-98-21-C]

    Peabody Coal Company, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 1233, Charleston, 
West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify the application of 
30 CFR 75.364(a)(1) (weekly examination) to its Camp No. 1 Mine (I.D. 
No. 15-02709) located in Union County, Kentucky. Due to hazardous roof 
conditions in the air course entries, traveling the affected area would 
be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to have a certified person conduct 
weekly examinations at established evaluation points immediately inby 
and outby the affected area to determine methane and oxygen 
concentrations and the volume of air, and record the results in a book 
maintained on the surface of the mine. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-98-22-C]

    Consolidation Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the 
application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment; 
maintenance) to its Rend Lake Mine (I.D. No.11-00601) located in 
Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use a 
spring-loaded metal locking device instead of padlocks for securing 
battery-charging plugs to machine-mounted battery receptacles on 
permissible, mobile, battery-powered scoop cars. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

5. Fray Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-23-C]

    Fray Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 942, Tazewell, Virginia 24651 has filed 
a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a) (refuse piles; 
general) to its Mine No. 3 (I.D. No. 44-03524) located in Buchanan 
County, Virginia. The petitioner requests a modification of the 
standard to allow construction of a refuse bench fill in an area 
containing abandoned mine openings. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. Mountaineer Mining Management, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-24-C]

    Mountaineer Mining Management, Inc., P.O. Box 1090, Oceana, West 
Virginia 24890 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.364 (weekly examination) to its No. 3 Mine (I.D. No. 46-08369) 
located in Boone County, West Virginia. Due to fallen material in the 
old mine workings (Kopperton No. 2 Mine) where the No. 3 mine is mined 
into, the area is unsafe to seal off. The petitioner proposes to 
install a continuous gas monitoring system to monitor the air quality 
for air coming out of the old mine workings. The petitioner states that 
the monitoring system would include an audible warning signal and a 
visual strobe light

[[Page 18233]]

signal to alert surface personnel of any problems underground. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

7. Marrowbone Development Company

[Docket No. M-98-25-C]

    Marrowbone Development Company, P.O. Box 119, Naugatuck, West 
Virginia 25685 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.350 (air courses and belt haulage entries) to its North Marrowbone 
Creek Mine (I.D. No. 46-08680) located in Mingo County, West Virginia. 
The petitioner proposes to use an automatic fire detection system based 
on carbon monoxide monitoring of the underground conveyor entries to 
allow air coursed through conveyor belt entries to be used to ventilate 
active working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon 
monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in 
all belt entries used to course intake air to a working place. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

8. Marrowbone Development Company

[Docket No. M-98-26-C]

    Marrowbone Development Company, P.O. box 119, Naugatuck, West 
Virginia 25685 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.503 (permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) to its North 
Marrowbone Creek Mine (I.D. No. 46-08680) located in Mingo County, West 
Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use permanently installed spring-
loaded locking devices instead of padlocks on battery plugs. The 
petitioner proposes to install and maintain spring-loaded locking 
devices on battery plugs to prevent the threaded rings that secures the 
battery plugs to the battery receptacles from loosening 
unintentionally. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would 
the mandatory standard.

9. Eagle Energy, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-27-C]

    Eagle Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 368, Madison, West Virginia 25130 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location 
of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, high-voltage cables and 
transformers) to its Mine No. 1 (I.D. No. 46-07711) located in Boone 
County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use 4,160 volt cables 
to power longwall equipment. The petitioner states that all personnel 
who perform maintenance on the longwall or miners who work in proximity 
of the high-voltage equipment would receive training in high-voltage 
safety and maintenance procedures before this proposed alternative 
method is implemented.

Request for Comments

    Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit 
comments via e-mail to ``[email protected]'', or on a computer disk 
along with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 4015 
Wilson Boulevard, Room 627, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments 
must be postmarked or received in that office on or before May 14, 
1998. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that 
address.

    Dated: April 8, 1998.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 98-9722 Filed 4-13-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P