[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 126 (Tuesday, July 6, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35537-35538]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-14297]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

[OMB Control No. 1219-0146]


Proposed Extension of Information Collection; Refuge Alternatives 
for Underground Coal Mines

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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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 
request for comment to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed collections of information 
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. This request 
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 on the information collection for Refuge 
Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines.

DATES: All comments must be received on or before September 7, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment as follows. Please note that late, 
untimely filed comments will not be considered.
    Electronic Submissions: Submit electronic comments in the following 
way:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments for docket number MSHA-
2021-0023. Comments submitted electronically, including attachments, to 
https://www.regulations.gov will be posted to the docket, with no 
changes. Because your comment will be made public, you are responsible 
for ensuring that your comment does not include any confidential 
information that you or a third party may not wish to be posted, such 
as your or anyone else's Social Security number or confidential 
business information.
     If your comment includes confidential information that you 
do not wish to be made available to the public, submit the comment as a 
written/paper submission.
    Written/Paper Submissions: Submit written/paper submissions in the 
following way:
     Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit DOL-MSHA, Office of 
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th Street South, Suite 
4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452.
     MSHA will post your comment as well as any attachments, 
except for information submitted and marked as confidential, in the 
docket at https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Senk, Director, Office of 
Standards, Regulations, and Variances, MSHA, at 
[email protected] (email); (202) 693-9440 (voice); 
or (202) 693-9441 (facsimile).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    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 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 or other 
mines.
    Each underground coal mine has an emergency response plan (ERP) and 
refuge alternatives (RA) that protect miners when escape from a mine 
during a mine emergency is not possible by providing secure spaces with 
isolated atmospheres that create life-sustaining environments.
    Title 30 CFR 75.1506 requires mine operators to provide RAs.
    Section 75.1507 requires the development and implementation of ERP. 
It requires that the ERP provide detailed information about the RAs 
used in the mine. This information assists miners, supervisors, 
emergency responders, and MSHA in ensuring that all essential 
preparations are made and required materials are readily available and 
in working order. A mine operator may notify the District Manager and 
update the existing ERP if there is a need to locate an RA in a 
different location than the one identified in the ERP for that mine (as 
required by section 75.1506(c)(2)).
    Section 75.1508 requires the mine operator to certify that persons 
assigned to examine, maintain, and repair RAs and components are 
trained for those tasks. Training certifications assist MSHA in 
determining that persons received the required training. The training 
certification for persons assigned to examine RAs is integrated into 
existing requirements for preshift examinations of the mine under 
section 75.360 (OMB 1219-0088). The training certification for persons 
assigned to maintain and repair RAs is included in this package under 
section 75.1508(a).
    Section 75.1508(b) requires a record of any maintenance and repair 
performed on an RA. This record assists MSHA in identifying design 
flaws or other weaknesses in the RA or its components that could 
adversely impact the safety of miners.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    MSHA is soliciting comments concerning the proposed information 
collection related to Refuge Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. 
MSHA is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Agency, 
including whether the information has practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA's estimate of the burden of 
the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
     Suggest methods to 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.
    Background documents related to this information collection request 
are available at https://regulations.gov and at DOL-MSHA located at 201 
12th Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, VA 22202-5452. Questions 
about the information collection requirements may be directed to the 
person listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION section of this notice.

III. Current Actions

    This information collection request concerns provisions for Refuge

[[Page 35538]]

Alternatives for Underground Coal Mines. MSHA has updated the data with 
respect to the number of respondents, responses, burden hours, and 
burden costs supporting this information collection request from the 
previous information collection request.
    Type of Review: Extension, without change, of a currently approved 
collection.
    Agency: Mine Safety and Health Administration.
    OMB Number: 1219-0146.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 3.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Number of Responses: 27.
    Annual Burden Hours: 73 hours.
    Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper Cost: $17.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized in 
the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the 
proposed information collection request; they will become a matter of 
public record and will be available at https://www.reginfo.gov.

Jessica Senk,
Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-14297 Filed 7-2-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P