[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 28, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 72696]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-33575]



[[Page 72696]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------


DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Fee Adjustments for Testing, Evaluation, and Approval of Mining 
Products

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

ACTION: Notice of fee adjustments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This notice revises our (MSHA Approval and Certification 
Center (A&CC)) user fees. Fees compensate us for the costs that we 
incur for testing, evaluating, and approving certain products for use 
in underground mines. We based the year 2000 fees on our actual 
expenses for fiscal year 1999. The fees reflect changes both in our 
approval processing operations and in our costs to process approval 
actions.

DATES: These fee schedules are effective from January 1, 2000, through 
December 31, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven J. Luzik, Chief, Approval and 
Certification Center, 304-547-2029 or 304-547-0400.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    On May 8, 1987 (52 FR 17506), pursuant to 30 U.S.C. 957, we 
published a final rule, 30 CFR Part 5--Fees for Testing, Evaluation, 
and Approval of Mining Products. The rule established specific 
procedures for calculating, administering, and revising user fees. We 
have revised our fee schedule for the year 2000 in accordance with the 
procedures of that rule and include this new fee schedule below. For 
approval applications postmarked before January 1, 2000, we will 
continue to calculate fees under the previous (1999) fee schedule, 
published on December 18, 1998.

Fee Computation

    In general, we computed the year 2000 fees based on fiscal year 
1999 data. We calculated a weighted-average, direct cost for all the 
services that we provided during fiscal year 1999 in the processing of 
requests for testing, evaluation, and approval of certain products for 
use in underground mines. From this cost, we calculated a single hourly 
rate to apply uniformly across all of the product approval categories 
during the year 2000.

Elimination of Flat Rates

    Under the provisions of 30 CFR Part 5, three approval areas have 
been converted from a flat rate to an hourly rate: Statement of Test 
and Evaluation, Statement of Test and Evaluation Extension, and Mine 
Wide Monitoring System Barrier Classification. The conversion of these 
last three approval areas results in a single hourly rate being 
uniformly applied regardless of product type. See the schedule for the 
appropriate hourly rate.

    Dated: December 22, 1999.
Rebecca J. Smith,
Deputy Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.

                 Fee Schedule Effective January 1, 2000
                         [Based on FY 1999 data]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                  Hourly
                          Action title                             rate
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fees for Testing, Evaluation, and Approval of all Mining             $61
 Products \1\..................................................
Retesting for Approval as a Result of Post-Approval Product      .......
 Audit \2\.....................................................
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   30 CFR Part 15--Explosives Testing
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Permissibility Tests for Explosives:
  Weigh-in.....................................................     $462
  Physical Exam: First size....................................      325
  Chemical Analysis............................................    1,977
  Air Gap--Minimum Product Firing Temperature..................      460
  Air Gap--Room Temperature....................................      352
  Pendulum Friction Test.......................................      163
  Detonation Rate..............................................      352
  Gallery Test 7...............................................    7,436
  Gallery Test 8...............................................    5,533
  Toxic Gases (Large Chamber)..................................      805
Permissibility Tests for Sheathed Explosives:
  Physical Examination.........................................      128
  Chemical Analysis............................................    1,044
  Gallery Test 9...............................................    1,944
  Gallery Test 10..............................................    1,944
  Gallery Test 11..............................................    1,944
  Gallery Test 12..............................................    1,944
  Drop Test....................................................      648
  Temperature Effects/Detonation...............................      672
  Toxic Gases..................................................     580
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Full approval fee consists of evaluation cost plus applicable test
  costs.
\2\ Fee based upon the approval schedule in effect at the time of
  retest.
Note: When the nature of the product requires that we test and evaluate
  it at a location other than our premises, you must reimburse us for
  the traveling, subsistence, and incidental expenses of our
  representative in accordance with standardized government travel
  regulations. This reimbursement is in addition to the fees charged for
  evaluation and testing.


[FR Doc. 99-33575 Filed 12-27-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P