[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 193 (Thursday, October 5, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58877-58878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-16489]


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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 30 CFR 75.1714-4(a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) (Additional 
Self-Contained Self-Rescuers), for their anthracite underground coal 
mines, under section 101(c) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act 
of 1977 and 30 CFR Part 44:
    (1) Orchard Coal Company, Orchard Slope Mine, 214 Vaux Road, 
Tremont Pennsylvania 17981 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08346), located in 
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-031-C]

    (2) R S & W Coal Company, Inc., R S & W Slope Mine; 207 Creek Road, 
Klingerstown, Pennsylvania 17941 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-01818), located in 
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-032-C]

    (3) S & M Coal Company, Buck Mountain Slope Mine, 1744 E. Grand 
Avenue, Tower City, Pennsylvania 17980 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-02022), 
located in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-040-C]

    (4) FKZ Coal Company, No. 1 Slope Mine, P.O. Box 62, Locust Gap, 
Pennsylvania 17840 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08637), located in Northumberland 
County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-048-C]

    (5) Tito Coal Company, No. 2 Slope Mine, 118 Fairview Lane, 
Williamstown, Pennsylvania 17098 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-06815), located in 
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-052-C]

    (6) D & D Coal Company, Primrose Slope Mine, D & D Coal Company, 
409 W. Centre Street, Donaldson, Pennsylvania 17981 (MSHA I.D. No. 36-
08341), located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.

[Docket No. M-2006-055-C]

    These petitioners request a modification of the existing standard 
to eliminate the requirement for providing an additional self-contained 
self-rescue (SCSR) device, and to eliminate the requirement for 
providing additional SCSRs on mantrips or mobile equipment and in 
alternate and primary escapeways. The petitioners state that:
    (i) An SCSR has never been used in an anthracite mine and no 
statistical data exists to support the need to use an SCSR;

[[Page 58878]]

    (ii) The potential hazard which would require wearing an SCSR and 
traveling the escapeway does not exist;
    (iii) There is no hazard scenario where traveling the escapeway 
with an SCSR would be likely; and
    (iv) The travel time on foot from the working face through the 
primary escapeway is less than fifteen minutes. The petitioners further 
state that, historically, fires in anthracite mines have not been a 
significant hazard, as a result of the low volatile matter of the coal, 
which is reflected in numerous granted petitions for modification 
relating to firefighting.
    The petitioners propose to have each miner wear an SCSR correctly 
for one hour to give the full affect of proper usage when actually 
wearing the SCSR, because the petitioners believe that to train the 
miner with one SCSR is a safer act than to have multiple SCSRs without 
proper training and the miner will know how to use the SCSR in the 
event of an actual emergency. The petitioners also propose to have 
hand-held multi-gas detectors located at each working face and have the 
SCSR stored on the locomotive for the locomotive operator.
    The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method for use 
of the SCSR would in no way provide less than the same measure of 
protection than that afforded the miners under the existing standard.

Request for Comments

    Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit 
comments via E-mail to [email protected]. Include ``petitions 
for modification'' in the subject line of the email. Comments can also 
be submitted by fax, regular mail, or hand-delivery. If faxing your 
comments, include ``petitions for modification'' on the subject line of 
the fax. Comments by regular mail or hand-delivery should be submitted 
to the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, 
Arlington, Virginia 22209. If hand-delivered, you are required to stop 
by the 21st floor to check in with the receptionist. All comments must 
be postmarked or received by the Office of Standards, Regulations, and 
Variances on or before November 6, 2006. Copies of the petitions are 
available for inspection at that address.

    Dated at Arlington, Virginia, this 29th day of September 2006.
Cherie A. Hutchison,
Acting Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. E6-16489 Filed 10-4-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P