[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 198 (Friday, October 12, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52154-52156]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25691]


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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 existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the 
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. A B & J Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-085-C]

    A B & J Coal Company, Inc., PO Box 35, Vansant, Virginia 24656 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1710-1 
(canopies or cabs; self-propelled diesel-powered and electric face 
equipment; installation requirements) to its Mine No. 2 (I.D. No. 44-
06828) located in Buchanan County, Virginia. The petitioner proposes to 
operate self-propelled electric face equipment without cabs or canopies 
in seam heights of 48 inches or less. The petitioner asserts that 
application of the existing standard would result in a diminution of 
safety to the miners.

2. McElroy Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2001-086-C]

    McElroy Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road, 
Pittsburgh,

[[Page 52155]]

Pennsylvania 15241-1421 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 McElroy Mine (I.D. No. 46-
01437) located in Marshall County, West Virginia. The petitioner 
proposes to use high-voltage (4,160-volt) cables inby the last open 
crosscut. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method 
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing 
standard.

3. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-087-C]

    Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania 
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.804(a) (underground high-voltage cables) to its High Quality Mine 
(I.D. No. 36-08375) located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The 
petitioner proposes to use a high-voltage cable with an internal ground 
check conductor smaller than No. 10 AWG. The petitioner states that 
high-voltage cables would be SHD+CG cable, manufactured to ICEA 
Standard S-75-381 for Type SHD three-conductor cables (except that it 
would have an insulated flexible center ground check conductor having a 
cross-sectional area of not less than 1,800 circular mils), accepted by 
MSHA as flame-resistant, and with symmetrical 3/C, G/G and 1/GC 
construction; that all electrical personnel who perform maintenance on 
the longwall will receive training on installing and repairing the 
cables prior to implementation; and that a revised Part 48 training 
plan, specifying task training and review of the terms and conditions 
for the affected miners, would be submitted to the District Manager. 
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing 
standard.

4. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-088-C]

    Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania 
15314 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 High Quality Mine (I.D. No. 36-08375) located 
in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use 
high-voltage (4,160-volt) cables inby the last open crosscut. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

5. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-089-C]

    Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania 
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 
(oil and gas wells) to its High Quality Mine (I.D. No. 33-08375) 
located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. 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 the existing standard.

6. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-090-C]

    Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania 
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 
(air courses and belt haulage entries) to its High Quality Mine (I.D. 
No. 36-08375) located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The 
petitioner requests a modification of the existing standard to allow 
belt air coursed through belt haulage entries to be used to ventilate 
active working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon 
monoxide monitoring 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 the existing standard.

7. Alex Energy, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-091-C]

    Alex Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 857, Summersville, West Virginia 26651 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air 
courses and belt haulage entries) to its Sugarcamp Mine (I.D. No. 46-
08745) located in Nicholas County, West Virginia. The petitioner 
requests a modification of the existing standard to allow belt air 
coursed through belt haulage entries to be used to ventilate active 
working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon monoxide 
monitoring 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 the existing standard.

8. 3-D Management Service, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-092-C]

    3-D Management Service, Inc., PO Box 186, Madison, West Virginia 
25130 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.503 
(permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 18.41(f) (plug 
and receptacle-type connectors) to its Tiny Creek No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 
46-08835) located in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The petitioner 
proposes to use a threaded ring and a spring-loaded device instead of a 
padlock on mobile battery-powered machines to prevent the plug 
connector from accidentally disengaging while under load. The 
petitioner asserts that application of the existing standard would 
result in a diminution of safety to the miners and that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

9. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2001-093-C]

    Consolidation Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the 
application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(4) (weekly examination) to its 
Shoemaker Mine (I.D. No. 46-01436) located in Marshall County, West 
Virginia. Due to deteriorating roof and rib conditions of the six seals 
in 1 South of the intake air course, traveling this areas would be 
unsafe. The petitioner proposes to establish designated check points 
and have a certified person examined these check points on a daily 
basis to monitor for methane and to ensure safe air passage. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

10. Bledsoe Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-2001-094-C]

    Bledsoe Coal Corporation, 1374 Highway 192 East, London, Kentucky 
40741 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1711-
1 (sealing of shaft openings) to its Mine No. 60 (I.D. No. 15-12941) 
located in Leslie County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use an 
alternative method to establish a more permanent resolution for sealing 
shaft openings that would protect the general public from vandalism or 
accidents at the Mine No. 60, and establish an alternative method for 
reclamation requirements from the Department of Reclamation and 
Enforcement, due to the remote location of the shaft and the 
unfeasibility of obtaining material to backfill the shaft. The 
petitioner states that the Mine No. 60 has ceased production and 
portals have been backfilled; that the shaft has been sealed with a 17-
inch concrete cap that is equipped with a vent pipe of 2-inches in 
diameter, at a distance of 15 feet above the surface of the shaft; and

[[Page 52156]]

that the proposed alternative method would be sufficient to sustain the 
loads that occur from the reclamation material and any other possible 
load situations. The petitioner has provided with this petition 3-sets 
of drawings that detail how the 18-inch shaft will be permanently 
sealed. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method 
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing 
standard.

11. Leeco, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-095-C]

    Leeco, Inc., P.O. Box 309, Jeff, Kentucky 41751 has filed a 
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.900 (low- and medium-
voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment; 
circuit breakers) to its No. 68 Mine (I.D. No. 15-17497) located in 
Perry County, Kentucky; and its No. 78 Mine (I.D. No. 15-17816) located 
in Knott County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to a alternate 
method to meet the requirements of under-voltage protection. The 
petitioner proposes for under-voltage protection a maximum nominal 
voltage of the belt conveyor drive and water pump circuit(s) not to 
exceed 995 volts, nominal voltage of the belt conveyor drive control 
and water pump control circuit(s) not to exceed 120 volts, vacuum 
contactors built into or permanently affixed to the transformer 
enclosure and properly separated and isolated from the other components 
of the unit, and provide under-voltage protection for belt drive(s) and 
water pump motors that are greater than 5 horsepower for vacuum 
contactors that have associated protective relays. The petitioner has 
listed in this petition additional specific procedures that would be 
followed when its proposed alternative method is implemented. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

12. Leeco, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2001-096-C]

    Leeco, Inc., PO Box 309, Jeff, Kentucky 41751 has filed a petition 
to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a) (refuse piles; general) 
to its No. 64 Mine (I.D. No. 15-16353) located in Perry County, 
Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to place refuse over previously 
abandoned and reclaimed mines. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

13. American Energy Corporation

[Docket No. M-2001-097-C]

    American Energy Corporation, PO Box 5, Alledonia, Ohio 43902 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and 
gas wells) to its Century Mine (I.D. No. 33-01070) located in Belmont 
County, Ohio. The petitioner proposes to plug and mine through oil and 
gas wells at the Century Mine using the specific procedures outlined in 
this petition for modification. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

14. Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation

[Docket No. M-2001-004-M]

    Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, 8362 West 10200 South, Bingham 
Canyon, Utah 84006-0351 has filed a petition to modify the application 
of 30 CFR 56.14109 (unguarded conveyors with adjacent travelways) to 
its Bingham Canyon Mine (I.D. No. 42-00149) located in Salt Lake 
County, Utah. The petitioner requests a modification of the existing 
standard to allow emergency stop devices in the form of a hand-held 
portable radio to be used at those portions of the Bingham Canyon 
Mine's Mine-Concentrator Conveyor where pull-cords or railings are not 
located, which when activated through a single push-button at any 
position along the beltway, will deactivate the conveyor motor and stop 
the belt. The petitioner asserts that application of the existing 
standard would result in a diminution of safety to the miners and that 
the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure 
of protection as the existing standard.

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 November 13, 
2001. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that 
address.

    Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 4th day of October 2001.
David L. Meyer,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 01-25691 Filed 10-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P