[Federal Register: July 21, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 139)]
[Notices]
[Page 43627-43629]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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. Consolidation Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-025-C]
Consolidation Coal Company, 1800 Washington Road, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania 15241 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30
CFR 75.312(c) and (d) (Main mine fan examinations and records) to its
Loveridge No. 22 Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 46-01433) located in Marion
County, West Virginia. The petitioner requests a modification of the
existing standard to permit testing at least every 31 days of the
automatic closing door(s) and the automatic fan signal device without
shutting down the fan and without removing miners from the mine. The
petitioner proposes to provide the fans with an alarm system consisting
of a mechanical switch that will be mounted to the fan housing and
designed to activate a relay in the fan monitoring panel when the air
reversal prevention door is in the closed position. The relay will
activate a warning light near the door location and provide an audible
and visible alarm at a location where a responsible person will always
be on duty when miners are working underground, and will have two-way
communication with working sections. The petitioner states that a
magnetic switch may be used if approved by the District Manager. The
petitioner has listed in this petition for modification specific terms
and conditions that will be used when the 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.
2. Ohio County Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-026-C]
Ohio County Coal Company, PO Box 39, Centertown, Kentucky 42328 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1103-4
(Automatic fire sensor and warning device systems; installation;
minimum requirements) to its Big Run Underground Mine (MSHA I.D. No.
15-18552) located in Ohio County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to
install a carbon monoxide monitoring system as an early warning fire
detection system near the center and in the upper third of the belt
entry in a location that would not expose personnel working on the
system to unsafe situations. The petitioner has listed in this petition
for modification specific terms & conditions that will be used when the
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.
3. Snyder Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-027-C]
Snyder Coal Company, 66 Snyder Lane, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 49.2 (Availability
of mine rescue teams) to its No. 1 Rock Slope (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09256)
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 an attempt to utilize five or more rescue team
members in the mine's confined working places would result in
diminution of safety to both the miners at the mine and members of the
rescue team, and that the proposed alternative method would provide at
least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
4. Snyder Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-028-C]
Snyder Coal Company, 66 Snyder Lane, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has
filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1100-2(a)
(Quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its No. 1 Rock
Slope (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09256) located in Schuylkill County,
Pennsylvania. The petitioner requests a modification of the standard to
permit use of only portable fire extinguishers to replace existing
requirements where rock dust, water cars, and other water storage
equipped with three (3) ten quart pails is not practical. The
petitioner proposes to use two (2) portable fire extinguishers near the
slope bottom and an additional portable fire extinguisher within 500
feet of the working face for equivalent fire protection for the No. 1
Rock Slope Mine. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative
method would provide at least the same measure of protection as the
existing standard.
5. Snyder Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-029-C]
Snyder Coal Company, 66 Snyder Lane, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1200(d) & (i)
(Mine map) to its No. 1 Rock Slope Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09256)
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 vein being mined except when veins are
interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit through rock
tunnels. The petitioner asserts that due to the steep pitch encountered
in mining anthracite coal veins, contours provide no useful information
and their presence would make portions of the map illegible. The
petitioner further asserts that use of cross-sections in lieu of
contour lines has been practiced since the late 1800's thereby
providing critical information relative to the spacing between veins
and proximity to other mine workings which fluctuate considerably. The
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide
at least the same measure of protection as the existing standard.
6. Snyder Coal Company
[Docket No. M-2004-030-C]
Snyder Coal Company, 66 Snyder Lane, Hegins, Pennsylvania 17938 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1202 and
75.1202-1(a) (Temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to its
No. 1 Rock Slope Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 36-09256) 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 also proposes to conduct
surveys prior to commencing retreat mining and whenever either a
drilling program under 30 CFR 75.388 or plan for mining into
inaccessible areas under 30 CFR 75.389 is required. The petitioner
asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the
same measure of protection as the existing standard.
7. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation
[Docket No. M-2004-031-C]
Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 1970 Barrett Court, PO Box
1990, Henderson, Kentucky 42419 has filed a petition to modify the
application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(7) (Weekly examination) to its Federal
No. 2 Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 46-01456) located in Monogalia County, West
Virginia. The petitioner requests a modification of the existing
standard to permit the use of a 480-volt 3 phase alternating current
electric power circuit for its non-permissible deep well submersible pump that
would: (i) Contain either a direct or derived neutral resistor at the
source transformer or power center, and a grounding circuit originating
at the grounded side of the grounding resistor extended along with the
power conductors and serve as the grounding conductor for the frame of
the pump; (ii) contain a grounding resistor that limits the ground
fault current to not more than 15 amperes, and rated for the maximum
fault current available and insulated from the ground for a voltage
equal to the phase-to-phase voltage of the system; (iii) provide
protection by suitable circuit breaker of adequate interrupting
capacity with devices to provide protection against under voltage,
grounded phase, short-circuit, and overload; (iv) contain a
disconnecting device installed in conjunction with the circuit breaker
to provide visual evidence that the power is disconnected; and (v)
provide controls to shut the pumps down in low flow conditions. The
petitioner states that the controls will monitor for low current which
is an indication of low flow conditions; that a certified person will
conduct weekly electrical checks; and that the monthly examination of
electrical equipment required by 30 CFR 77.502 will include a
functional test of the grounded phase protective devices to determine
the proper operation and record. The results of the functional tests
will be recorded in the approved ``Examination of Electrical
Equipment'' record books. The petitioner asserts that the proposed
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of
protection as the existing standard.
8. Cotter Corporation
[Docket No. M-2004-007-M]
Cotter Corporation, 7800 E. Dorado Place, Suite 210, Englewood,
Colorado 80111 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR
57.11055 (Inclined escapeways) to its C-JD-9 Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 05-
03066) located in Montrose County, Colorado. The petitioner requests
modification of the existing standard to permit the portable emergency
hoisting facility (truck) to be stored in a safe area at the Nucla,
Colorado office and yard and transported to the mine site when
necessary for the emergency escape of the miners, and allow the
provisions of 30 CFR 57.11050(b) to be used until the emergency
hoisting facility is located over the borehole and ready to evacuate
the miners. The petitioner has listed in this petition specific terms
and conditions that will be applied when the 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.
Request for Comments
Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit
comments via e-mail to zzMSHA-Comments@dol.gov, by fax at (202) 693-9441, or by regular mail 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 July 26, 2004. Copies of these
petitions are available for inspection at that address.
Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 15th day of July 2004.
Marvin W. Nichols, Jr.,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 04-16481 Filed 7-20-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P
