[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 210 (Wednesday, October 30, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66168-66169]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-27572]


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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. Speed Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-082-C]

    Speed Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 1083, Beckley, West Virginia 25802 has 
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and 
gas wells) to its American Eagle Mine (I.D. No. 46-05437) located in 
Kanawha County, West Virginia. The petitioner requests that its 
previous petition for modification, docket number M-2001-041-C, be 
amended as follows: The petitioner will drill out each of the oil wells 
as already specified in the previous petition. The petitioner will pump 
the expandable cement to the bottom of the lowest minable seam (Eagle) 
and pump Portable Class ``A'' cement on top of the expandable plug to 
the next Powellton Seam which is approximately 117 feet above. The 
petitioner states that the Powellton Seam is the anticipated area for 
broken strata due to subsidence. The petitioner will leave the area 
from Powellton Seam to the surface open for release of methane from the 
longwall gob after the longwall has intersected the well. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

2. H&M Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-084-C]

    H&M Coal Company, 48 Meadowview Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania 
17663 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1400 
(Hoisting equipment; general) to its Rocky Top Mine (I.D. No. 36-09072) 
located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to 
use a slope conveyance (gunboat) for transporting persons without 
installing safety catches or other no less effective devices. The 
petitioner would instead use increased rope strength and secondary 
safety rope connections in place of such devices. The petitioner 
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the 
same measure of protection as the existing standard.

3. KenAmerican Resources, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-085-C]

    KenAmerican Resources, Inc., 881 Corporate Dr., Suite 204, 
Lexington, Kentucky 40503 has filed a petition to modify the 
application of 30 CFR 75.380(g) (Escapeways; bituminous and lignite 
mines) to its Brier Creek Mine (I.D. No. 15-18495) located in 
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests a modification of 
the

[[Page 66169]]

existing standard so that the primary escapeway for the 9 
Slope would not be required to be separated from the belt entries until 
initial development stage is completed, that is, when connection is 
made to the airshaft. The petitioner has listed in this petition 
specific terms and conditions that would be followed until the initial 
development stage is completed. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

4. D&F Deep Mine Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-086-C]

    D&F Mine Coal Company, RD 1 Box 33A, Klingerstown, Pennsylvania 
17941 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002-
1 (Location of other electric equipment: requirements for 
permissibility) to its Buck Drift Mine (I.D. No. 36-07456) located in 
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification 
of the existing standard to permit the use of non-permissible electric 
equipment including drags, battery locomotives, communication systems 
and other electric equipment outby the last crosscut within 150 feet of 
the pillar line. The petitioner states that operation of this equipment 
would be suspended anytime methane concentration at the equipment 
reaches 0.5 percent either during operation or when found during 
preshift examination. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as the existing standard.

5. Peabody Coal Company

[Docket No. M-2002-087-C]

    Peabody Coal Company, 202 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 1233, Charleston, 
West Virginia 25324-1233 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 Highland Mine (I.D. No. 
15-02709) located in Union County, Kentucky. The petitioner requests 
that its previous petition for modification, docket number M-2001-040-
C, be amended to revise paragraph 14(b), to allow routine use of cable 
crossovers, and to revise paragraph 43(b), to allow a temporary 
transformer that is not mounted to the mining machine. The petitioner 
states that the Highland Mine will be operating with Joy 14CM27 miners 
that are designed to operate in lower coal. Where clearance between the 
machine and the roof is smaller, the cable may be better protected with 
the properly designed crossover specified in the previous petition. The 
petitioner further states that the 14CM27 miner does not have 
provisions for tramming with a 995-volt input, and the step up 
transformer specified in revised paragraph 43(b), which would allow 
tramming of the 14CM27 machine with better control, may be less subject 
to damage if it is not mounted on the mining machine. The petitioner 
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the 
same measure of protection as the existing standard.

6. Coastal Coal Company, LLC

[Docket No. M-2002-088-C]

    Coastal Coal Company, LLC, P.O. Box 1578, Coeburn, Virginia 24230 
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a) 
(Refuse piles; general) to its VICC 8 Mine (I.D. No. 44-
06906), and VICC 3 Mine (I.D. No. 44-06853) located in Wise 
County, Virginia. The petitioner requests a modification of the 
existing standard to allow construction of a refuse pile over abandoned 
mine openings. The petitioner proposes to use an existing mine pit as a 
location for disposal of mine scalp rock. The petitioner states that 
disposal of the scalp rock at this location will necessitate filling 
over (2) two mine openings. The petitioner has listed in this petition 
specific procedures that would be followed when sealing mine openings. 
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing 
standard.

7. Europa Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-089-C]

    Europa Coal Company, Inc., 430 Harper Park Drive, Beckley, West 
Virginia 25801 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 Dry Branch Coalburg Mine (I.D. No. 46-
08968) located in Boone County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes 
to use a Joy 12CM27 continuous miner which operates at 2,400 volts. The 
petitioner has listed in this petition specific procedures that would 
be followed when the proposed alternate method is implemented. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.

8. Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-2002-004-C]

    Hunt Midwest Mining, Inc., 8300 NE Underground Drive, Kansas City, 
Missouri 64161 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
57.11052 (Refuge areas) to its Stamper Quarry (I.D. No. 23-02232) 
located in Platte County, Missouri. The petitioner proposes to provide 
bottled water to the refuge chamber instead of a water line. The 
petitioner asserts that an unopened 5 gallon bottle has a shelf life of 
two years and the date of bottling is stamped on the neck of the 
bottle. 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 29, 2002. 
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 24th day of October 2002.
Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 02-27572 Filed 10-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P