[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63166-63167]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25762]


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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. Monterey Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-074-C]

    Monterey Coal Company, 14300 Brushy Mound Road, Carlinville, 
Illinois 62626 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.503 (Permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 30 CFR 
18.35(a) (Portable trailing cables and cords) to its No. 1 Mine (I.D. 
No. 11-00726) located in Macoupin County, Illinois. The petitioner 
proposes to install a Hubbel/Ensign Electric Division Class 1401 
Permissible Distribution Box certified by the MSHA Approval and 
Certification Center under X/P-1733-3, so that two Fletcher Model CDR-
15 slim line roof bolters could be used near the end of the longwall 
panel for additional support of the face when transferring equipment to 
the next panel. The distribution box would have a maximum of 750 feet 
of No. 4/0 AWG G-GC trailing cable extending from the power center 
located outby. The roof bolters would be equipped with No. 2 AWG G-GC 
portable cables with 1000 feet of the cable extended across the face 
from the distribution box. The petitioner was granted a petition in 
December 1994, docket number M-94-131-C, to extend the trailing cables 
to the Fletcher roof bolters to 1200 feet with short circuit protection 
set at 800 Amps Maximum and a longwall panel width of 750 feet Maximum. 
The petitioner states that since the granting of its previous petition, 
the longwall panel has been increased to 1100 feet Maximum, and is 
approved and accepted by the MSHA Approval and Certification Center 
under 2G-3955A-0. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the 
existing standard.

2. Knott County Mining Company

[Docket No. M-2002-075-C]

    Knott County Mining Company, P.O. Box 2805, Pikeville, Kentucky 
41502 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.503 
(Permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 30 CFR 18.41(f) 
(Plug and receptacle-type connectors) to its Mallet Branch Mine (I.D. 
No. 15-18393), Mine 582 (I.D. No. 15-18522), and Hollybush Mine (I.D. 
No. 15-15289) located in Knott County, Kentucky. The petitioner 
proposes to use permanently installed, spring-loaded locking devices on 
battery plug connectors on battery-powered equipment to prevent the 
plug connectors from unintentionally loosening from battery receptacles 
and to eliminate the hazards associated with difficult removal of 
padlocks during emergency situations. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

3. Coemont Construction, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-076-C]

    Coemont Construction, Inc., P.O. Box 297, Glen Daniel, West 
Virginia 25844 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.503 (Permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 30 CFR 
18.41(f) (Plug and receptacle-type connectors) to its Coemont No. 1 
Mine (I.D. No. 46-08945) located in Boone County, West Virginia. The 
petitioner proposes to use a threaded ring and a spring-loaded device 
instead of a padlock on battery plug connectors 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.

4. Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-077-C]

    Lone Mountain Processing, Inc., Drawer C, St. Charles, Virginia 
24282 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 Huff Creek Mine No. 1 (I.D. No. 15-17234) 
located in Harlan County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use a 
2400-volt power center to power a continuous miner with high-voltage 
trailing cable inby the last open crosscut and within 150 feet of 
pillar workings. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the 
existing standard.

5. Lone Mountain Processing, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-078-C]

    Lone Mountain Processing, Inc., Drawer C, St. Charles, Virginia 
24282 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 Darby Fork Mine No. 1 (I.D. No. 15-02265) 
located in Harlan County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use a 
2400-volt power center to power a continuous miner with high-voltage 
trailing cable inby the last open crosscut and within 150 feet of 
pillar workings. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative 
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the 
existing standard.

6. White County Coal, LLC

[Docket No. M-2002-079-C]

    White County Coal, LLC, 1525 County Road 1300 N, P.O. Box 457, 
Carmi, Illinois 62821 has filed a petition to modify the application of 
30 CFR 75.503 (Permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) to its 
Pattiki I Mine (I.D. No. 11-02662) located in White County, Illinois. 
The petitioner proposes to operate a 13 horse power ``Flygt'' pump 
outby the last open crosscut 6700 feet from the power source, using 
AWG2 cable rated at 600-volt, minimum temperature rating 75 degrees C, 
and the overall jacket heavy duty and flame resistant. The petitioner 
states that the circuit breaker at the power source would be set at 80 
amps. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing 
standard.

7. Kentucky May Mining

[Docket No. M-2002-080-C]

    Kentucky May Mining, P.O. Box 249, Stanville, Kentucky 41659 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.503 
(Permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 30 CFR 18.41(f) 
(Plug and receptacle-type connectors) to its Lakeview Mine (I.D. No. 
15-18507) located in Pike County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to 
use permanently installed spring-loaded locking devices to prevent 
unintentional loosening of battery plugs from battery receptacles to 
eliminate the hazards associated with difficult removal of padlocks 
during emergency situations. The petitioner asserts that application of 
the existing standard would result in a diminution of safety to the 
miners. The

[[Page 63167]]

petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

8. Remington Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-081-C]

    New River Engineering, Inc., 2971C East DuPont Avenue, Shrewsbury, 
West Virginia 25015, has filed a petition for the Remington Coal 
Company, Inc., 430 Harper Park Drive, Beckley, West Virginia 25801, to 
modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (Oil and gas wells) to its 
Stockburg No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 46-08634) located in Kanawha County, 
West Virginia. 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.

9. Debra Lynn Coals, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-083-C]

    Debra Lynn Coals, Inc., P.O. Box 297, Grays Knob, Kentucky 40829 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214 (Refuse 
piles; general) to its Liggett Preparation Plant (I.D. No. 15-12428) 
located in Harlan County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests a 
modification of the standards to allow placement of refuse material 
over abandoned mine portals and associated mine workings. The 
petitioner proposes to construct a refuse pile over abandoned 
underground mine works in the Harlan coal bed, and de-water rock drains 
from two existing mine adits within the abandoned mine works. The 
petitioner states that the massive sandstone unit immediately above the 
Harlan coal bed would prevent any adverse effects of mine subsidence on 
the refuse pile. The petitioner asserts 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, 1100 Wilson 
Boulevard, Room 2352, Arlington, Virginia 22209. All comments must be 
postmarked or received in that office on or before November 12, 2002. 
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 4th day of October 2002.
Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 02-25762 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P