[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 119 (Tuesday, June 22, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33323-33326]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15874]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Summary of Decisions Granting in Whole or in Part Petitions for 
Modification

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

ACTION: Notice of affirmative decisions issued by the Administrators 
for Coal Mine Safety and Health and Metal and Nonmetal Mine Safety and 
Health on petitions for modification of the application of mandatory 
safety standards.

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SUMMARY: Under section 101 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 
1977, the Secretary of Labor may allow the modification of the 
application of a mandatory safety standard to a mine if the Secretary 
determines either that an alternate method exists at a specific mine 
that will guarantee no less protection for the miners affected than 
that provided by the standard, or that the application of the standard 
at a specific mine will result in a diminution of safety to the 
affected miners.
    Final decisions on these petitions are based upon the petitioner's 
statements, comments and information submitted by interested persons, 
and a field investigation of the conditions at the mine. MSHA has 
granted or partially granted the requests for modification submitted by 
the petitioners listed below. In some instances, the decisions are 
conditioned upon compliance with stipulations stated in the decision. 
The cite following ``FR Notice:'' refers to the issue of the Federal 
Register where MSHA published the notice that the petitioner was 
seeking a modification.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Petitions and copies of the final decisions 
are available for examination by the public in the Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, Room 627, 4015 Wilson Boulevard, 
Arlington, Virginia 22203. Contact Barbara Barron at 703-235-1910.

    Dated: June 16, 1999.
Carol J. Jones,
Acting Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.

Affirmative Decisions on Petitions for Modification

    Docket No.: M-98-011-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 11697.
    Petitioner: FKZ Coal, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1100-2.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use only portable 
fire extinguishers to replace existing requirements where rock dust, 
water cars, and other water storage are not practical considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the No. 1 Slope Mine with 
conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-022-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 18232.
    Petitioner: Consolidation Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.503.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal 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 considered acceptable alternative method. 
Granted for the Rend Lake Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-028-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29034.
    Petitioner: Lodestar Energy.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.503.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use 750 feet of No. 6 
cable on Fletcher single boom roof bolters considered acceptable 
alternative method. Granted for the Baker Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-030-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29034.
    Petitioner: Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.

[[Page 33324]]

    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.350.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use belt air to 
ventilate active working places and to install a low-level carbon 
monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in 
belt entries considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the 
Darby Fork No. 1 and Huff Creek Mine No. 1 with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-031-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29034.
    Petitioner: Freeman United Coal Mining Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use 2,400 volt A.C. 
cables and equipment inby the last open crosscut within 150 feet of gob 
areas so that they can be used to power continuous mining equipment 
considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Crown II Mine 
with conditions.
    Docket No.: M-98-032-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29034.
    Petitioner: Mettiki Coal Corporation.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use 4,300 volt cables 
on high-voltage longwall electric equipment used within 150 feet from 
pillar workings (longwall gob) considered acceptable alternative 
method. Granted for the Mettiki Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-035-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29034.
    Petitioner: Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1103-4.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use belt air to 
ventilate active working places and to install a low-level carbon 
monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system 
considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Darby Fork 
Mine No. 1 with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-037-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 29035.
    Petitioner: CONSOL of Kentucky, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1101-8.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use a single line of 
automatic sprinklers for its fire protection system on the main and 
secondary belt conveyors at the Motts Branch Mine considered acceptable 
alternative method. Granted for the Motts Branch Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-044-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.335.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to construct seals using 
wooden materials of moderate size and weight due to the difficulty in 
accessing previously driven headings and breasts containing 
inaccessible abandoned workings to use; a design criteria in the 10 psi 
range; and to install the water trap in the gangway seal and sampling 
tube in the monkey seal for seals installed in pairs considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the No. 3 Vein Slope Mine 
with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-045-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.360.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to visually examine each 
seal for physical damage from the slope gunboat during the pre-shift 
examination after an air quality 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 
considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the No. 3 Vein 
Slope Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-046-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.364 .
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to examine the intake 
haulage slope and primary escapeway 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 considered acceptable alternative method. 
Granted for the Mine No. 3 Vein Slope Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-048-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1100-2.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use only portable 
fire extinguishers to replace existing requirements where rock dust, 
water cars, and other water storage is not practical considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the No. 3 Vein Slope Mine 
with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-049-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1200.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use cross-sections 
instead of contour lines, limiting the mapping of mines above or below 
this mine to those within 100 feet of the vein being mined considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the No. 3 Vein Slope Mine 
with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-050-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Joliett Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1202-1.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to revise and supplement 
mine maps annually instead of every 6 months, as required, and to 
update maps daily by hand notations considered acceptable alternative 
method. Granted for the No. 3 Vein Slope Mine.

    Docket No.: M-98-051-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41598.
    Petitioner: Webster County Coal Corporation.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.364.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to establish two 
continuous monitoring stations to continuously monitor for methane and 
oxygen; to have an audible alarm signal at a surface location where a 
responsible person would be on duty at all times while miners are 
underground, and to train this person in the proper procedures for 
handling the monitoring system if immediate action is necessary in the 
event of an emergency or malfunction; to have a certified person check 
the monitoring stations weekly for air quantity and direction; and to 
have the results of the check recorded in a book that would be 
maintained on the surface considered acceptable alternative method. 
Granted for the Dotiki Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-053-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 44291.
    Petitioner: Primrose Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1400.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use a slope 
conveyance (gunboat) in transporting persons without installing safety 
catches or other no less effective devices but instead use increased 
rope strength and secondary safety rope connection in place of such 
devices considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Buck 
Mountain Vein Slope Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-058-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 44291.
    Petitioner: Rustler Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1405.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use bar and pin, or 
link and pin couplers on underground haulage equipment considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Archard Slope Mine with 
conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-059-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 44291.
    Petitioner: CONSOL of Kentucky, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1101-8.

[[Page 33325]]

    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use a single line of 
automatic sprinklers for its fire protection system on main and 
secondary belt conveyors in the Big Springs No. 1 Mine, and to have the 
automatic sprinklers located not more than 10 feet apart so that the 
discharge of water would extend over the belt drive, belt take-up, 
electrical control, and gear reducing unit considered acceptable 
alternative method. Granted for the Big Springs No. 17 Mine with 
conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-068-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 45865.
    Petitioner: Jewell Smokeless Coal Corporation.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 77.214.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to construct a refuse 
bench fill in an area containing abandoned mine openings considered 
acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Dominion Mine No. 25 
with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-071-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 45866.
    Petitioner: Mettiki Coal Corporation.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.804.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use specially 
designed high-voltage cables for longwall mining equipment, and to use 
cables that would be MSHA accepted as flame-resistant and used only for 
high-voltage longwall equipment; and to train miners performing 
electrical maintenance on high-voltage cables on the longwall to safely 
install, splice, and repair the specially designed high-voltage cables 
considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Mettiki Mine 
with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-072-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 45866.
    Petitioner: Independence Coal Company, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1700.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to plug oil and gas 
wells using specific procedures outlined in the petition for 
modification considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the 
Justice No. 1 Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-075-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 48765.
    Petitioner: The Kedco, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.503 (18.41(f)).
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to replace a padlock on 
battery plug connectors with a threaded ring and a spring loaded device 
on mobile battery-powered machines to prevent the plug connector from 
accidently disengaging while under load considered acceptable 
alternative method. Granted for the No. 2 Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-079-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 50603.
    Petitioner: Independence Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use high-voltage 
longwall mining equipment and that the nominal voltage of the longwall 
power circuit(s) would not exceed 4,160 volts considered acceptable 
alternative method. Granted for the Justice No. 1 Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-083-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 58430.
    Petitioner: Long Branch Coal.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.503.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to use a threaded ring 
and a spring loaded device on battery plug connectors on mobile 
battery-powered machines to prevent the plug connector from accidently 
disengaging while under load considered acceptable alternative method. 
Granted for Mine No. 23 with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-97-049-C.
    FR Notice: 62 FR 29371.
    Petitioner: Island Creek Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.364.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to monitor the water 
level by a float and if the water level goes away indicating a problem 
with the seal below water, a set of contacts will close sounding an 
alarm in the mine-wide monitoring system on the surface; to check the 
water level each production day; to establish two check points to 
monitor the affected area; to maintain these check points in a safe 
condition; to have a certified person test these check points on a 
weekly basis for methane and the quantity of air; and to have the 
person making the tests place his/her initials, date, and time in a 
record book kept on the surface and made available for inspection by 
interested persons considered acceptable alternative method. Granted 
for the Ohio No. 11 Mine with conditions for continuous monitoring 
using intrinsically safe sensors installed as part of the mines AMS and 
weekly evaluation for methane and oxygen content of the air ventilating 
the flooded mine seals No. 1 (Old Supply Slope) and No. 2 (Old Belt 
Slope).

    Docket No.: M-97-092-C.
    FR Notice: 62 FR 46379.
    Petitioner: Peabody Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.364.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to monitor methane and 
oxygen concentrations and the volume of air at the locations and 
frequency specified in the petition; to have trained and certified 
persons conduct the monitoring; and to record the results of the 
monitoring in a book to be maintained on the surface of the mine 
considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the Camp No. 11 
Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-97-128-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 2698.
    Petitioner: Jim Walter Resources, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to amend the Decision 
and Order Granting Petition for Modification No. M-85-045-C is granted. 
The Assistant Secretary had granted a modification of 30 C.F.R. 
75.1002. The amendment states that where high-voltage cable that moves 
during normal operation of the longwall is damaged to the extent that 
any metallic component of the cable is damaged, the cable shall be 
repaired and the outer jacket of such repair shall be vulcanized with 
flame-resistant material. Granted for the No. 5 Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-97-129-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 2698.
    Petitioner: Jim Walter Resources, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to amend the Decision 
and Order Granting Petition for Modification No. M-97-129-C is granted. 
The Assistant Secretary had granted a modification of 30 CFR 75.1002. 
The amendment states that where high-voltage cable that moves during 
normal operation of the longwall is damaged to the extent that any 
metallic component of the cable is damaged, the cable shall be repaired 
and the outer jacket of such repair shall be vulcanized with flame-
resistant material. Granted for the No. 7 Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-97-148-C.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 5972.
    Petitioner: Mountain Coal Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.1002.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to amend the Decision 
and Order Granting Petition for Modification No. M-95-183-C is granted. 
The Assistant Secretary had granted a modification of 30 CFR 75.1002. 
The petitioner requests that stipulation No. 4 be revised to remove the 
reference to permissible equipment and to clarify that only the non-
permissible equipment being used for purposes of the petition be 
inspected weekly since the petition is to allow the use of non-
permissible equipment for testing and diagnostics purposes within 150 
feet of pillar workings considered acceptable alternative method. 
Granted for the No. 7 Mine with conditions.


[[Page 33326]]


    Docket No.: M-94-166-C.
    FR Notice: 59 FR 67735.
    Petitioner: Energy West Mining Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 75.350.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner request amendments of specific 
terms and conditions addressing the use of an early warning fire 
detection system two entry longwall mining systems ventilated with belt 
air considered acceptable alternative method. Amended for the Trail 
Mountain Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-002-M.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 41599.
    Petitioner: Chemical Lime Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 56.6306.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to load explosives to 
within one hole of the hole being drilled during the drilling cycle of 
overburden removal considered acceptable alternative method. Granted 
for the O'Neal Quarry Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-98-004-M.
    FR Notice: 63 FR 45866.
    Petitioner: Hecla Mining Company.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 49.8(b).
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to conduct 5 10 hour 
training sessions annually with a minimum of 12 \1/2\ hours spent under 
oxygen considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the 
Rosebud Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-95-017-M.
    FR Notice: 61 FR 8307.
    Petitioner: Swenson Granite Company, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 56.19003.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to amend the Decision 
and Order Granting Petition for Modification No. M-95-17-M is granted. 
The Assistant Secretary had granted a modification of 30 C.F.R. 
56.19003. The petitioner requests that stipulation No. 4 be revised to 
be in agreement with revised condition No. 2. Granted for the Gray 
Quarry Mine with conditions.

    Docket No.: M-94-042-M.
    FR Notice: 59 FR 55298.
    Petitioner: Specialty Minerals, Inc.
    Regulation Affected: 30 CFR 56.13020.
    Summary of Findings: Petitioner's proposal to establish blow-off 
stations at various locations in the plant where employees can clean 
their cloths with forced or compassed air that has an OSHA approved 
nozzle with pressure not greater than 2 to 6 psi at normal average line 
pressure considered acceptable alternative method. Granted for the 
Marble Canyon Mine with conditions.

[FR Doc. 99-15874 Filed 6-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1510-43-P