[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 227 (Monday, November 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64933-64934]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-25459]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Office of the Secretary


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission for OMB 
Review; Comment Request; Application for a Permit To Fire More Than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-Firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor (DOL) is submitting the Mining Safety 
and Health Administration (MSHA) sponsored information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``Application for a Permit to Fire More than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-Firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires'' 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). Public comments on the ICR are invited.

DATES: The OMB will consider all written comments that agency receives 
on or before December 26, 2019.

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 website at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAViewICR?ref_nbr=201909-1219-002 (this link will only become active 
on the day following publication of this notice) or by contacting 
Frederick Licari by telephone at 202-693-8073, TTY 202-693-8064, (these 
are not toll-free numbers) or by email at [email protected].
    Submit comments about this request by mail 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: 202-395-5806 (this is not a toll-free 
number); or by email:

[[Page 64934]]

[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: Frederick Licari by telephone at 202-
693-8073, TTY 202-693-8064, (these are not toll-free numbers) or by 
email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This ICR seeks to extend PRA authority for 
the ``Application for a Permit to Fire More than 20 Boreholes and/or 
for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, Explosives, and Shot-
firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires'' information collection. 
Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine 
Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes MSHA to collect information 
necessary to carry out its duty in protecting the safety and health of 
miners. Further, section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 811, 
authorizes the Secretary of Labor (Secretary) to develop, promulgate, 
and revise as may be appropriate, improved mandatory health or safety 
standards for the protection of life and prevention of injuries in coal 
and metal and nonmetal mines.
    Under Section 313 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 
(Mine Act), 30 U.S.C. 873, any explosives used in underground coal 
mines must be permissible. The Mine Act also provides that, under 
safeguards prescribed by the Secretary, a mine operator may permit the 
firing of more than 20 shots and the use of nonpermissible explosives 
in sinking shafts and slopes from the surface in rock. Title 30 CFR 
75.1321 outlines the procedures by which a permit may be issued for the 
firing of more than 20 boreholes and/or the use of nonpermissible shot-
firing units in underground coal mines. In those instances in which 
there is a misfire of explosives, section 75.1327 requires that a 
qualified person post each accessible entrance to the affected area 
with a warning to prohibit entry. Section 77.1909-1 outlines the 
procedures by which a coal mine operator may apply for a permit to use 
nonpermissible explosives and/or shot-firing units in the blasting of 
rock while sinking shafts or slopes for underground coal mines. The DOL 
obtains OMB approval for this information collection under OMB Control 
No. 1219-0025.
    OMB authorization for an ICR cannot be for more than three (3) 
years without renewal and the current approval for this collection will 
expire on November 30, 2019. 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, reference the 60-day notice 
published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2019 (84 FR 47971).
    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 thirty (30) days of publication of this 
notice in the Federal Register. In order to help ensure appropriate 
consideration, comments should mention OMB Control Number 1219-0025. 
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: Application for a Permit to Fire More than 20 
Boreholes and/or for the Use of Nonpermissible Blasting Units, 
Explosives, and Shot-firing Units; Posting Notices of Misfires.
    OMB Control Number: 1219-0025.
    Affected Public: Private Sector: Businesses or other for-profits.
    Total Estimated Number of Respondents: 17.
    Total Estimated Number of Responses: 32.
    Total Estimated Annual Time Burden: 31 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Costs Burden: $115.

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

    Dated: November 15, 2019.
Frederick Licari,
Departmental Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2019-25459 Filed 11-22-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-43-P