[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20543-20545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11273]
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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. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-24-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.1202-1(a) (temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to
its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill 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.
2. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-25-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (mine map) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-
07859) located in Schuylkill 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.
3. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-26-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.364(b)(1), (4), and (5) (weekly examination) to its Last Chance
Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill 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 to 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.
4. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-27-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.360 (preshift examination) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No.
36-07859) located in Schuylkill 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 in by 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 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.
5. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-28-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.335 (construction of seals) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No.
36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner
requests a modification of the standard to permit alternative methods
of 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
[[Page 20544]]
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.
6. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine
[Docket No. M-96-29-C]
West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens,
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.1100 (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its
Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill 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.
7. Amax Coal Company
[Docket No. M-96-30-C]
Amax Coal Company, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment;
maintenance) to its Wabash Mine (I.D. No. 11-00877) located in Wabash
County, Illinois. The petitioner proposes to extend the length of
portable trailing cables to 825 feet. These cables would carry
electrical power from the working face transformer to the mobile roof
supports. The trailing cables connecting the working section
transformer to the mobile roof supports are No. 4 3/C G-GC. The
petitioner is conducting second mining in certain areas of its mine
where Voest-Alpine mobile roof supports are used and asserts that a
safer mining process and more effective roof control is provided during
second mining than if timbers and other types of support are used. In
addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the
mandatory standard.
8. Eighty-Four Mining Company
[Docket No. M-96-31-C]
Eighty-Four Mining Company, 655 Church Street, Indiana,
Pennsylvania 15701 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.1100-2(e) (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to
its Mine 84 (I.D. No. 36-00958) located in Washington County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to provide two portable fire
extinguishers or one portable fire extinguisher with twice the required
capacity at each temporary electrical installation instead of providing
one extinguisher and rock dust at temporary electrical installations.
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
9. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-96-32-C]
Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of
30 CFR 75.325(b) (air quantity) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15-
17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to
provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line constructed to
separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms previously
developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the stopping
line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with the
requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would be
constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and temporary
stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet deep or
less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which the rooms
are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in accordance
with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner asserts that
application of the standard would result in a diminution of safety to
the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would provide at
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.
10. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-96-33-C]
Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of
30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) (preshift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine
(I.D. No. 15-17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner
proposes to provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line
constructed to separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms
previously developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the
stopping line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with
the requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would
be constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and
temporary stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet
deep or less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which
the rooms are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in
accordance with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner
asserts that application of the standard would result in a diminution
of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
11. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-96-34-C]
Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood,
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of
30 CFR 75.362(c)(1) (on-shift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine
(I.D. No. 15-17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner
proposes to provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line
constructed to separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms
previously developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the
stopping line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with
the requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would
be constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and
temporary stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet
deep or less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which
the rooms are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in
accordance with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner
asserts that application of the standard would result in a diminution
of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
12. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company
[Docket No. M-96-35-C]
Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood
80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.1700 (oil and gas wells) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15-
17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to
mine through oil and gas wells. The petitioner asserts that the
proposed alternative method would
[[Page 20545]]
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory
standard.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions may furnish written comments.
These 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 June 6, 1996. Copies
of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated: April 30, 1996.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 96-11273 Filed 5-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
