[Federal Register: October 12, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 198)]
[Notices]
[Page 52154-52156]
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration
Petitions for Modification
The following parties have filed petitions to modify the
application of existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
1. A B & J Coal Company, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-085-C]
A B & J Coal Company, Inc., PO Box 35, Vansant, Virginia 24656 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1710-1
(canopies or cabs; self-propelled diesel-powered and electric face
equipment; installation requirements) to its Mine No. 2 (I.D. No. 44-
06828) located in Buchanan County, Virginia. The petitioner proposes to
operate self-propelled electric face equipment without cabs or canopies
in seam heights of 48 inches or less. The petitioner asserts that
application of the existing standard would result in a diminution of
safety to the miners.
2. McElroy Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2001-086-C]
McElroy Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires,
high-voltage cables and transformers) to its McElroy Mine (I.D. No. 46-
01437) located in Marshall County, West Virginia. The petitioner
proposes to use high-voltage (4,160-volt) cables inby the last open
crosscut. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.
3. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-087-C]
Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.804(a) (underground high-voltage cables) to its High Quality Mine
(I.D. No. 36-08375) located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The
petitioner proposes to use a high-voltage cable with an internal ground
check conductor smaller than No. 10 AWG. The petitioner states that
high-voltage cables would be SHD+CG cable, manufactured to ICEA
Standard S-75-381 for Type SHD three-conductor cables (except that it
would have an insulated flexible center ground check conductor having a
cross-sectional area of not less than 1,800 circular mils), accepted by
MSHA as flame-resistant, and with symmetrical 3/C, G/G and 1/GC
construction; that all electrical personnel who perform maintenance on
the longwall will receive training on installing and repairing the
cables prior to implementation; and that a revised Part 48 training
plan, specifying task training and review of the terms and conditions
for the affected miners, would be submitted to the District Manager.
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would
provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.
4. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-088-C]
Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
15314 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 High Quality Mine (I.D. No. 36-08375) located
in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use
high-voltage (4,160-volt) cables inby the last open crosscut. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
5. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-089-C]
Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700
(oil and gas wells) to its High Quality Mine (I.D. No. 33-08375)
located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to
plug and mine through oil and gas wells. The petitioner asserts that
the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure
of protection as the existing standard.
6. Maple Creek Mining, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-090-C]
Maple Creek Mining, Inc., 981 Route 917, Bentleyville, Pennsylvania
15314 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350
(air courses and belt haulage entries) to its High Quality Mine (I.D.
No. 36-08375) located in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The
petitioner requests a modification of the existing standard to allow
belt air coursed through belt haulage entries to be used to ventilate
active working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon
monoxide monitoring system as an early warning fire detection system in
all belt entries used to course intake air to a working place. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
7. Alex Energy, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-091-C]
Alex Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 857, Summersville, West Virginia 26651
has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air
courses and belt haulage entries) to its Sugarcamp Mine (I.D. No. 46-
08745) located in Nicholas County, West Virginia. The petitioner
requests a modification of the existing standard to allow belt air
coursed through belt haulage entries to be used to ventilate active
working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon monoxide
monitoring system as an early warning fire detection system in all belt
entries used to course intake air to a working place. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the
same measure of protection as the existing standard.
8. 3-D Management Service, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-092-C]
3-D Management Service, Inc., PO Box 186, Madison, West Virginia
25130 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.503
(permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) and 18.41(f) (plug
and receptacle-type connectors) to its Tiny Creek No. 2 Mine (I.D. No.
46-08835) located in Lincoln County, West Virginia. The petitioner
proposes to use a threaded ring and a spring-loaded device instead of a
padlock on mobile battery-powered machines to prevent the plug
connector from accidentally disengaging while under load. The
petitioner asserts that application of the existing 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 the existing standard.
9. Consolidation Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2001-093-C]
Consolidation Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(4) (weekly examination) to its
Shoemaker Mine (I.D. No. 46-01436) located in Marshall County, West
Virginia. Due to deteriorating roof and rib conditions of the six seals
in 1 South of the intake air course, traveling this areas would be
unsafe. The petitioner proposes to establish designated check points
and have a certified person examined these check points on a daily
basis to monitor for methane and to ensure safe air passage. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
10. Bledsoe Coal Corporation
[Docket No. M-2001-094-C]
Bledsoe Coal Corporation, 1374 Highway 192 East, London, Kentucky
40741 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1711-
1 (sealing of shaft openings) to its Mine No. 60 (I.D. No. 15-12941)
located in Leslie County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use an
alternative method to establish a more permanent resolution for sealing
shaft openings that would protect the general public from vandalism or
accidents at the Mine No. 60, and establish an alternative method for
reclamation requirements from the Department of Reclamation and
Enforcement, due to the remote location of the shaft and the
unfeasibility of obtaining material to backfill the shaft. The
petitioner states that the Mine No. 60 has ceased production and
portals have been backfilled; that the shaft has been sealed with a 17-
inch concrete cap that is equipped with a vent pipe of 2-inches in
diameter, at a distance of 15 feet above the surface of the shaft; and
that the proposed alternative method would be sufficient to sustain the
loads that occur from the reclamation material and any other possible
load situations. The petitioner has provided with this petition 3-sets
of drawings that detail how the 18-inch shaft will be permanently
sealed. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.
11. Leeco, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-095-C]
Leeco, Inc., P.O. Box 309, Jeff, Kentucky 41751 has filed a
petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.900 (low- and medium-
voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current equipment;
circuit breakers) to its No. 68 Mine (I.D. No. 15-17497) located in
Perry County, Kentucky; and its No. 78 Mine (I.D. No. 15-17816) located
in Knott County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to a alternate
method to meet the requirements of under-voltage protection. The
petitioner proposes for under-voltage protection a maximum nominal
voltage of the belt conveyor drive and water pump circuit(s) not to
exceed 995 volts, nominal voltage of the belt conveyor drive control
and water pump control circuit(s) not to exceed 120 volts, vacuum
contactors built into or permanently affixed to the transformer
enclosure and properly separated and isolated from the other components
of the unit, and provide under-voltage protection for belt drive(s) and
water pump motors that are greater than 5 horsepower for vacuum
contactors that have associated protective relays. The petitioner has
listed in this petition additional specific procedures that would be
followed when its proposed alternative method is implemented. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
12. Leeco, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2001-096-C]
Leeco, Inc., PO Box 309, Jeff, Kentucky 41751 has filed a petition
to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a) (refuse piles; general)
to its No. 64 Mine (I.D. No. 15-16353) located in Perry County,
Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to place refuse over previously
abandoned and reclaimed mines. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as the existing standard.
13. American Energy Corporation
[Docket No. M-2001-097-C]
American Energy Corporation, PO Box 5, Alledonia, Ohio 43902 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1700 (oil and
gas wells) to its Century Mine (I.D. No. 33-01070) located in Belmont
County, Ohio. The petitioner proposes to plug and mine through oil and
gas wells at the Century Mine using the specific procedures outlined in
this petition for modification. The petitioner asserts that the
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as the existing standard.
14. Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation
[Docket No. M-2001-004-M]
Kennecott Utah Copper Corporation, 8362 West 10200 South, Bingham
Canyon, Utah 84006-0351 has filed a petition to modify the application
of 30 CFR 56.14109 (unguarded conveyors with adjacent travelways) to
its Bingham Canyon Mine (I.D. No. 42-00149) located in Salt Lake
County, Utah. The petitioner requests a modification of the existing
standard to allow emergency stop devices in the form of a hand-held
portable radio to be used at those portions of the Bingham Canyon
Mine's Mine-Concentrator Conveyor where pull-cords or railings are not
located, which when activated through a single push-button at any
position along the beltway, will deactivate the conveyor motor and stop
the belt. The petitioner asserts that application of the existing
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 the existing standard.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit
comments via e-mail to "zzMSHA-Comments@dol.gov," or on a computer disk along with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards,
Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 4015
Wilson Boulevard, Room 627, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments
must be postmarked or received in that office on or before November 13,
2001. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that
address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 4th day of October 2001.
David L. Meyer,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 01-25691 Filed 10-11-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
