[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 192 (Friday, October 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51908-51910]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26214]
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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 mandatory safety standards under section 101(c) of the
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
1. McElroy Coal Company
[Docket No. M-97-101-C]
McElroy Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.312(c) to its McElroy Mine (I.D. No. 46-01437)
located in Marshall County, West Virginia. The petitioner requests a
modification of the mandatory safety standard to permit the testing of
the automatic fan signal device without stopping the fan. The
petitioner proposes to test the automatic fan signal device at least
every 31 days by manually operating a valve near the fan pressure
recording chart reducing the pressure on the water gauge to cause the
activation of the fan signal. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
2. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-102-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.335
(construction of seals) to its No. 4 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-08527)
located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests
a modification of the standard to permit alternative methods of seal
construction using wooden materials of moderate size and weight due to
the difficulty in accessing previously driven headings and breasts
containing inaccessible abandoned workings; to accept a design criteria
in the 10 psi range; and to permit the water trap to be installed in
the gangway seal and sampling tube in the monkey seal for seals
installed in pairs. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
3. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-103-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.360
(preshift examination) to its No. 4 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-08527)
located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes
to visually examine each seal for physical damage from the slope
gunboat during the preshift examination after an air quality reading is
taken inby the intake portal and to test for the quantity and quality
of air at the intake air split locations off the slope in the gangway
portion of the working section. The petitioner
[[Page 51909]]
proposes to physically examine the entire length of the slope once a
month. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard.
4. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-104-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.364(b)(1), (4), and (5) (weekly examination) to its No. 4 Vein Slope
(I.D. No. 36-08527) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Due
to hazardous conditions and roof falls, certain areas of the intake
haulage slope and primary escapeway cannot be traveled safely. The
petitioner proposes to examine these areas from the gunboat/slope car
with an alternative air quality evaluation at the section's intake
level, and travel and thoroughly examine these areas for hazardous
conditions once a month. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
5. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-105-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100
(quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its No. 4 Vein
Slope (I.D. No. 36-08527) located in Northumberland County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use only portable fire
extinguishers to replace existing requirements where rock dust, water
cars, and other water storage are not practical. The petitioner asserts
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
6. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-106-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200
(d) & (i) (mine map) to its No. 4 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-08527)
located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes
to use cross-sections instead of contour lines through the intake
slope, at locations of rock tunnel connections between veins, and at
1,000-foot intervals of advance from the intake slope and to limit the
required mapping of the mine workings above and below to those present
within 100 feet of the veins being mined except when veins are
interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit through rock
tunnel. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard.
7. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-107-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202-
1(a) (temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to its No. 4
Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-08527) located in Northumberland County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to revise and supplement mine
maps annually instead of every 6 months, as required, and to update
maps daily by hand notations. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
8. Mark P. Shingara Coal
[Docket No. M-97-108-C]
Mark P. Shingara Coal, R.D. #3, Box 79E, Sunbury, Pennsylvania
17801 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1400
(hoisting equipment; general) to its No. 4 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-
08527) located in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner
proposes to use a slope conveyance (gunboat) in transporting persons
without installing safety catches or other no less effective devices
but instead use increased rope strength/safety factor and secondary
safety rope connection in place of such devices. The petitioner asserts
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
9. Oxbow Carbon & Minerals, Inc.
[Docket No. M-97-109-C]
Oxbow Carbon Minerals, Inc., P.O. Box 535, Somerset, Colorado 81434
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.804(a) to
its Sanborn Creek Mine (I.D. No. 05-04452) located in Gunnison County,
Colorado. The petitioner requests a modification of the standard to
allow the use of Anaconda Type SHD+GC, Pirelli Type SHD-Center-GC,
Tiger Brand Type SHD-CGC, and other brands of identical construction
flame-resistant cables on the high-voltage longwall system(s). The
petitioner states that these cables would utilize a flexible No. 16
A.W.G. ground check conductor for the ground continuity check circuit.
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
10. Oxbow Carbon & Minerals, Inc.
[Docket No. M-97-110-C]
Oxbow Carbon & Minerals, Inc., P.O. Box 535, Somerset, Colorado
81434 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002
(location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, high-voltage cables
and transformers) to its Sanborn Creek Mine (I.D. No. 05-04452) located
in Gunnison County, Colorado. The petitioner proposes to use 2,400 volt
cables to power longwall equipment. The petitioner asserts that the
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as would the mandatory standard.
11. Freeman United Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-97-111-C]
Freeman United Coal Mining Company, 1999 Wabash Avenue, Suite 200B,
Springfield, Illinois 62704-5364 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.332(a) to its Crown III Mine (I.D. No. 11-
02632) located in Montgomery County, Illinois. The petitioner requests
a modification of the standard to allow one continuous miner on a super
section to cleanup while the other continuous miner is loading coal.
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
12. USMX of Alaska
[Docket No. M-97-05-M]
USMX of Alaska, 200 Center Court, Anchorage, Alaska 99518 has filed
a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 56.9300(a) (berms or
guardrails) to its Illinois Creek Mine (I.D. No. 50-01637) located in
Yukon-Koyukuk County, Alaska. The petitioner requests a modification of
the standard to eliminate the use of berms along the drop-off side of
the road. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard by allowing expeditious and effective snow removal
from the road in conjunction with a low 25 mile per hour speed limit.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions may furnish written comments.
These
[[Page 51910]]
comments must be filed with the Office of Standards, Regulations, and
Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Room 627, 4015 Wilson
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments must be postmarked
or received in that office on or before November 3, 1997. Copies of
these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated: September 25, 1997.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 97-26214 Filed 10-2-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-U
