[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 18 (Tuesday, January 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4497-4498]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01558]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Health Standards for Diesel Particulate Matter 
Exposure in Underground Coal Mines

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mine Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Health Standards for Diesel Particulate Matter 
Exposure in Underground Coal Mines,'' to the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for review and approval for continued use, without change, 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), 44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.

DATES: Submit comments on or before February 27, 2014.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained free of charge 
from the RegInfo.gov Web site at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=120310-1219-002 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are 
not toll-free numbers) or sending an email to [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail or courier to the Office 
of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attn: OMB Desk Officer for DOL-
MSHA, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., 
Washington, DC 20503; by Fax: 202-395-6881 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email: [email protected]. Commenters are 
encouraged, but not required, to send a courtesy copy of any comments 
by mail or courier to the U.S. Department of Labor-OASAM, Office of the 
Chief Information Officer, Attn: Departmental Information Compliance 
Management Program, Room N1301, 200 Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20210; or by email: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michel Smyth by telephone at 202-693-
4129, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by email 
at [email protected].

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3507(a)(1)(D).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authorization 
for the Health Standards for Diesel Particulate Matter Exposure in 
Underground Coal Mines information collection. Federal Mine Safety and 
Health Act of 1977 (Mine Act) section 101(a) provides that the 
Secretary of Labor--as may be appropriate--shall develop, promulgate, 
and revise improved mandatory health or safety standards for the 
protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal or other mines. 
In addition, Mine Act section 103(h) mandates that a mine operator keep 
any records and make any reports reasonably necessary for the MSHA to 
perform its duties under the Mine Act. The MSHA has established 
standards and regulations for diesel-powered equipment in underground 
coal mines that provide additional important protection for coal miners 
who work on and around diesel-powered equipment. The standards are 
designed to reduce risks to an underground coal miner of serious health 
hazards associated with exposure to high concentrations of diesel 
particulate matter. The standards cover information collection 
requirements, codified in regulations 30 CFR 72.510(a) and (b) and 
72.520(a) and (b), for underground coal mine operators.
    Section 72.510(a) requires an underground coal mine operator to 
provide annual training to each miner who may be exposed to diesel 
emissions. The training must cover health risks associated with 
exposure to diesel particulate matter; methods used in the mine to 
control diesel particulate concentrations; identification of the 
personnel responsible for maintaining those controls; and actions 
miners must take to ensure controls operate as intended. Section 
72.510(b) requires the operator to keep a record of the training for 
one year.
    Section 72.520(a) and (b) requires an underground coal mine 
operator to maintain an inventory of diesel powered equipment units 
together with a list of information about any unit's emission control 
or filtration system. The operator must update the list within seven 
(7) calendar days of any change.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6. The DOL obtains OMB approval for this information collection 
under Control Number 1219-0124.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal, and the current approval for this collection is 
scheduled to expire on January 31, 2014. The DOL seeks to extend PRA 
authorization for this information collection for three (3) more years, 
without any change to existing requirements. The DOL notes that 
existing information collection requirements submitted to the OMB 
receive a month-to-month extension while they undergo review. For 
additional substantive information about this ICR, see the related 
notice published in the Federal Register on September 3, 2013 (77 FR 
54279).
    Interested parties are encouraged to send comments to the OMB, 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the address shown in 
the ADDRESSES section within 30 days of publication of this notice in 
the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1219-0124. 
The OMB 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 submission of responses.
    Agency: DOL-MSHA.
    Title of Collection: Health Standards for Diesel Particulate Matter 
Exposure in Underground Coal Mines.
    OMB Control Number: 1219-0124.
    Affected Public: Private Sector--businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 206.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 53,631.

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    Total Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 703.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $9.

    Dated: January 22, 2014.
Michel Smyth,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-01558 Filed 1-27-14; 8:45 am]
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