[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 150 (Wednesday, August 5, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 41755-41756]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-20830]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

30 CFR Parts 72 and 75

RIN 1219-AA74


Diesel Particulate Matter Exposure of Underground Coal Miners

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Labor.


[[Page 41756]]


ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment periods; notice of 
hearings; and close of record.

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SUMMARY: MSHA is extending the period for public comment regarding the 
Agency's proposed rule addressing diesel particulate matter exposure of 
underground coal miners, which was published in the Federal Register on 
April 9, 1998; and the notice of preliminary determination of no 
significant environmental impact published in the Federal Register on 
July 14, 1998.
    The Agency is also announcing that it will hold public hearings in 
Birmingham, Alabama; Salt Lake City, Utah; Mt. Vernon, Illinois; and 
Beckley, West Virginia. The hearing dates, times, and locations will be 
announced by a separate notice in the Federal Register.
    The rulemaking record will remain open 30 days after the last 
public hearing.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 9, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the proposed rule may be transmitted by 
electronic mail, fax, or mail. Comments by electronic mail must be 
clearly identified as such and sent to this e-mail address: 
[email protected]. Comments by fax must be clearly identified as such 
and sent to: MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 
703-235-5551. Send mail comments to: MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, Room 631, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, 
VA 22203-1984 or any MSHA district or field office, and or technical 
support center. Copies of the proposal are available for review by the 
mining community at each district and field office location, and at 
each technical support center. The document is also available for loan 
to interested members of the public. These comments will become a part 
of the official rulemaking record. Interested persons are encouraged to 
supplement written comments with computer files or disks; please 
contact the Agency with any questions about format.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 9, 1998, (63 FR 17492), MSHA 
published a proposed rule to reduce the risks to underground coal 
miners of serious health hazards that are associated with exposure to 
high concentrations of diesel particulate matter (dpm). DPM is a very 
small particle in diesel exhaust. Underground miners are exposed to far 
higher concentrations of this fine particulate than any other group of 
workers. The best available evidence indicates that such high exposures 
put these miners at excess risk of a variety of adverse health effects, 
including lung cancer.
    The proposed rule for underground coal mines would require that 
mine operators install and maintain high-efficiency filtration systems 
on certain types of diesel-powered equipment. Underground coal mine 
operators would also be required to train miners about the hazards of 
dpm exposure.
    The comment period was scheduled to close on August 7, 1998. 
However, due to requests from the mining community, the Agency is 
extending the comment period for an additional 60 days, until October 
9, 1998. MSHA believes that this extension will provide sufficient time 
for all interested parties to review and comment on the proposal. All 
interested parties are encouraged to submit comments prior to October 
9, 1998.
    The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et. 
seq.), requires each Federal agency to consider the environmental 
effects of proposed actions and to prepare an Environmental Impact 
Statement on major actions significantly affecting the quality of the 
human environment. On July 14, 1998, (63 FR 37796), MSHA published a 
notice in the Federal Register that announced its preliminary 
determination that the proposed rule would have no significant 
environmental impact. The comment period was scheduled to close on 
August 10, 1998; however, by this notice, MSHA is extending the comment 
period until October 9, 1998.
    Additionally, MSHA plans to hold the first public hearing within 
two weeks of the close of the comment period. The hearing dates, times, 
and locations will be announced by a separate notice in the Federal 
Register. The hearings will be held under section 101 of the Federal 
Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
    To allow for the submission of post-hearing comments, the 
rulemaking record will remain open 30 days after the last public 
hearing. This date will also be announced by a separate notice in the 
Federal Register. This provides a total of more than 6 months from date 
of publication for the public to comment on this proposed rule.

    Dated: July 30, 1998.
J. Davitt McAteer,
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 98-20830 Filed 8-4-98; 8:45 am]
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