[Federal Register: January 27, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 17)]
[Notices]
[Page 3947-3948]
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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 existing safety standards under section 101(c) of the
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.
1. Knott County Mining Company
[Docket No. M-2003-096-C]
Knott County Mining Company, PO Box 102, Kite, Kentucky 41828 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.900 (Low and
medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current
equipment; circuits breakers) to its Mine 582 (MSHA I.D. No. 15-18522)
located in Knott County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to use
contactors for under-voltage protection in lieu of using the required
circuit breakers. The petitioner states that an additional ground fault
protection device will be provided for the affected circuits; the
hazards caused by personnel rushing to the remote locations to reset
breakers will be eliminated; and travelways will be safer and the
miners will not have to take risks out of a sense of urgency to resume
production. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.
2. Knott County Mining Company
[Docket No. M-2003-097-C]
Knott County Mining Company, PO Box 102, Kite, Kentucky 41828 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.900 (Low and
medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase alternating current
equipment; circuits breakers) to its Puncheon Branch Mine (MSHA I.D.
No. 15-17110) located in Knott County, Kentucky. The petitioner
proposes to use contactors for under-voltage protection in lieu of
using the required circuit breakers. The petitioner states that an
additional ground fault protection device will be provided for the
affected circuits; the hazards caused by personnel rushing to the
remote locations to reset breakers will be eliminated; and travelways
will be safer and the miners will not have to take risks out of a sense
of urgency to resume production. The petitioner asserts that the
proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as the existing standard.
3. Little Buck Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2003-098-C]
Little Buck Coal Company, 57 Lincoln Road, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 49.2(b)
to its #2 Slope (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08299) located in Schuylkill
County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification of the
standard to permit the reduction of two mine rescue teams with five
members and one alternate each, to two mine rescue teams of three
members with one alternate for either team. 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.
4. River Hill Coal Company, Inc.
[Docket No. M-2003-099-C]
River Hill Coal Company, Inc., PO Box 69, 1686 Tipple Road,
Karthaus, Pennsylvania 16845 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 77.700-1(c) (Approved methods of grounding) to
its River Hill Coal Company Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-00884) located in
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification
of the existing standard to permit an alternative method of compliance
for providing a safer means of grounding three phase portable water
pumps. The petitioner proposes to build and maintain a three phase
generator truck and pump unit that will eliminate any potential between
the metal frames of the unit and earth. The petitioner states that that
generator would be resistance grounded through a direct neutral and the
generator frames, and the truck frame and the pump frame would be
connected to the resistance grounded neutral. The petitioner has listed
specific procedures in this petition 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 with no diminution of safety to
the miners.
5. L-Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2003-100-C]
L-Coal Company, RD #2, Box 630, Shamokin, Pennsylvania
17872 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.332(b)(1) & (b)(2) (Working sections and working places) to its
Lenig Tunnel Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-08288) located in Northumberland
County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use air passing
through inaccessible abandoned workings and additional areas, which is
not examined under other mandatory standards and is currently mixing
with the air in the intake haulage slope, to ventilate the only active
working sections; to ensure air quality by sampling intake air during
pre-shift and on-shift examinations, not to exceed each 2 hours; and to
suspend mine production when air quality fails to meet specified
criteria. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method
would provide at least the same measure of protection as the existing
standard.
6. McElroy Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-001-C]
McElroy Coal Company, RD 1, Box 67A, Glen Easton, West Virginia
26039 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
75.364(b)(2) (Weekly examination) to its McElroy Mine (MSHA I.D. No.
46-01437) located in Marshall County, West Virginia. Due to
deteriorating roof conditions in the Main East return air entries,
traveling the entire entry from One North seals to the Preparation
Plant exhaust fan bottom would be unsafe to make weekly examinations.
The petitioner proposes to establish a check point on each side of the
bad top area to monitor the return air in the affected area. These
monitoring stations will be established at Station Number 1 located in
the air leg outby the Number One Seal, and Station Number 2 located in
the entry toward Main East inby the Number Six seal of One North Seals.
The petitioner states that all monitoring stations and the approaches
to such stations will be maintained in safe condition at all times;
tests for methane and the quantity and quality of air will be
determined by a certified person on a weekly basis at each monitoring
station; the date, initials of the examiner, time, and results of the
examinations will be recorded in a book or on a date board at the
monitoring stations; and results of the examinations will also be
recorded in a book that will be kept on the surface and made available
to all interested parties. The petitioner asserts 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, 1100 Wilson
Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, Virginia 22209. All comments must be
postmarked or received in that office on or before February 26, 2004.
Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 22nd day of January 2004.
Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 04-1637 Filed 1-26-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
