[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 13, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18888-18889]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-8356]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration


Mine Rescue Teams and Arrangements for Emergency Medical 
Assistance and Transportation for Injured Persons at Coal Mines

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is 
soliciting comments concerning the extension of the information 
collection related to the 30 CFR Sections 49.12, 49.13, 14.16, 49.17, 
49.18, 49.19, 49.50, 75.1713-1(a),(b) and (e), and 77.1702(a), (b), and 
(e).

DATES: All comments must be received by midnight Eastern Daylight 
Savings Time on June 14, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments must clearly be identified with the rule title and 
may be submitted to MSHA by any of the following methods:
    (1) Electronic mail: [email protected].
    (2) Facsimile: (202) 693-9441.
    (3) Regular Mail: MSHA, Office of Standards, Regulations, and 
Variances, 1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939.
    (4) Hand Delivery or Courier: MSHA, Office of Standards, 
Regulations, and Variances, 1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2350, Arlington, VA 
22209-3939. Sign in at the receptionist's desk on the 21st floor.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mario Distasio, Chief of the Economic 
Analysis Division, Office of Standards Regulations, and Variances, 
MSHA, at [email protected] (e-mail), 202-693-9445 (voicemail), 
202-693-9441 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    MSHA published a final rule revising the Agency's requirements for 
mine rescue teams for underground coal mines on February 8, 2008.
    The United Mine Workers of America challenged the final rule in the 
U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit (Court). On 
February 10, 2009, the Court vacated several of the rule's provisions. 
Consistent with the Court's decision, MSHA revised its requirements for 
mine rescue teams for underground coal mines on June 17, 2009. The 2008 
mine rescue team standard and 2009 revision added burden to existing 
information collection requirements and imposed two new information 
collection requirements.
    MSHA last submitted paperwork package 1219-0144 to OMB in May 2009, 
under the emergency review procedures in 5 CFR 1320.13.
    Section 4 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response 
(MINER) Act of 2006 required MSHA to promulgate standards for mine 
rescue teams for underground coal mines. The May 2009 paperwork package 
1219-0144 addressed only the increased burden associated with the 
revised and new standards and did not include the information 
collection burden for the existing mine rescue team standard not 
addressed by the MINER Act, which had been approved under paperwork 
package 1219-0078 for both coal and metal and nonmetal mines. This 
paperwork package 1219-0144 combines the additional burden from the 
revised and new standards for underground coal mine rescue teams with 
the existing information collection burden, which has been removed from 
paperwork package 1219-0078. (The metal and nonmetal mine rescue team 
paperwork package, OMB control number 1219-0078, has been extended to 
February 28, 2013, ICR reference number 200912-1219-003.)
    This package covers the following requirements for coal mines:
     Each operator of a coal mine who provides rescue teams is 
required to send the District Manager a statement describing the mine's 
method of compliance with the standard.
     Small or remote mines may submit an application of an 
arrangement for alternative mine rescue capability to MSHA for 
approval.
     A person trained in the use and care of the breathing 
apparatus is required to certify by signature and date that the 
required inspections and tests were done, take corrective action if 
indicated, and record any corrective action taken.
     Each member of a mine rescue team must be examined 
annually by a physician who must certify that each

[[Page 18889]]

person is physically fit to perform mine rescue and recovery work.
     A record of the training received by each mine rescue team 
member in the use, care, and maintenance of the type of breathing 
apparatus that will be used by the mine rescue team must be made and 
kept on file at the mine rescue station for a period of one year. The 
operator must provide the District Manager information concerning the 
schedule of upcoming training when requested.
     Each mine must have a mine rescue notification plan 
outlining the procedures to be followed in notifying the mine rescue 
teams when there is an emergency that requires their services.
     Underground coal mine operators must certify that each 
designated coal mine rescue team meets the requirements of 30 CFR part 
49 subpart B.
     Coal mine operators must make arrangements for 24-hour 
emergency medical assistance and transportation for injured persons and 
to post this information at appropriate places at the mine, including 
the names, titles, addresses, and telephone numbers of all persons or 
services currently available under those arrangements.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.
    A copy of the proposed information collection request can be 
obtained by contacting the employee listed in the FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, or viewed on the Internet 
by ``Rules & Reg'', and then selecting ``FedReg.Docs''.
    On the next screen, select ``Paperwork Reduction Act Supporting 
Statement'' to view documents supporting the Federal Register Notice.

III. Current Actions

    This request for collection of information contains notification 
and recordkeeping provisions Mine Rescue Teams and Arrangements for 
Emergency Medical Assistance and Transportation for Injured Persons at 
Coal Mines. MSHA does not intend to publish the results of this 
information collection and is not seeking approval to not display the 
expiration date or OMB approval number for this collection of 
information.
    There are no certification exceptions identified with this 
information collection and the collection of this information does not 
employ statistical methods.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    Title: Mine Rescue Teams, Arrangements for Emergency Medical 
Assistance and Transportation for Injured Persons; Agreements; 
Reporting Requirements; Posting Requirements and for Coal Mine 
Operators.
    OMB Number: 1219-0144.
    Frequency: On Occasion.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Cost to Federal Government: 25,108.
    Total Burden Respondents: 2,055.
    Total Number of Responses: 24,767.
    Total Burden Hours: 5,181.
    Total Hour Burden Cost (operating/maintaining): $863,397.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Dated: April 7, 2010.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.
[FR Doc. 2010-8356 Filed 4-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P