56180 Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 186 / Tuesday, September 26, 2006 / Notices 

Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 19th day 

of September 2006. 

Ria Moore Benedict, 

Deputy Director, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances. 

[FR Doc. 06–8247 Filed 9–25–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P 

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 and 30 CFR part 44. 

1. Excel Coal Company 

[Docket No. M–2006–057–C] 

Excel Coal Company, RD #2 Box 665, 

Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 has filed 

a petition to modify the application of 

30 CFR 75.1400 (Hoisting equipment; 

general) to its Three S. Slope Mine 

(MSHA I.D. No. 36–09309) located in 

Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. 

The petitioner proposes to use the slope 

(gunboat) to transport persons in shafts 

and slopes using an increased rope 

strength/safety factor and secondary 

safety rope connection instead of using 

safety catches or other no less effective 

devices. The petitioner asserts that the 

proposed alternative method would 

provide at least the same measure of 

protection as the existing standard. 

2. Excel Coal Company 

[Docket No. M–2005–058–C] 

Excel Coal Company, RD #2 Box 665, 

Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 has filed 

a petition to modify the application of 

30 CFR 75.1100–2(a)(2) (Quantity and 

location of firefighting equipment) to its 

Three S. Slope Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 

36–09309) located in Northumberland 

County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner 

proposes to use portable fire 

extinguishers only to replace existing 

requirements where rock dust, water 

cars, and other water storage equipped 

with three, 10 quart pails is not 

practical. The petitioner asserts that 

equivalent fire protection will be 

provided for the mine with two portable 

fire extinguishers near the slope bottom 

and an additional portable fire 

extinguisher within 500 feet of the 

working face and that the proposed 

alternative method would provide at 

least the same measure of protection as 

the existing standard. 

3. Excel Coal Company 

[Docket No. M–2006–059–C] 

Excel Coal Company, RD #2 Box 665, 

Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 has filed 

a petition to modify the application of 

30 CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (Mine map) to 

its Three S. Slope Mine (MSHA I.D. No. 

36–09309) 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. In addition, the petitioner 

proposes 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 states 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 

states that use of cross-sections in lieu 

of contour lines has been practiced 

since the late 1800’s and provides 

critical information about the spacing 

between veins and proximity to other 

mine workings, which fluctuate 

considerably. Additionally, they state 

that the mine workings above and below 

are usually inactive and abandoned, and 

therefore, are not subject to changes 

during the life of the mine. Petitioner 

asserts that when evidence indicates 

that prior mining was conducted on a 

vein above or below and research 

exhausts the availability of mine 

mapping, the vein will be considered to 

be mined and flooded and appropriate 

precautions will be taken under 30 CFR 

75.388, when possible. Thus, when 

potential hazards exist and mine 

drilling capabilities limit penetration, 

petitioner will drill surface boreholes to 

intercept the mine workings and will 

analyze the results prior to mining in 

the affected area. The petitioner asserts 

that the proposed alternative method 

would provide at least the same 

measure of protection as the existing 

standard. 

4. Excel Coal Company 

[Docket No. M–2006–060–C] 

Excel Coal Company, RD #2 Box 665, 

Shamokin, Pennsylvania 17872 has filed 

a petition to modify the application of 

30 CFR 49.2(b) (Availability of mine 

rescue teams) to its Three S. Slope Mine 

(MSHA I.D. No. 36–09309) located in 

Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. 

The petitioner requests a modification 

of the existing 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 states that the mine 

is small and an attempt to utilize five or 

more rescue team members in the 

mine’s confined working places would 

result in a diminution of safety to both 

the miners at the mine and the members 

of the rescue team. The petitioner 

asserts that the proposed alternative 

method would provide at least the same 

measure of protection as the existing 

standard. 

5. Big River Mining, LLC 

[Docket No. M–2006–061–C] 

Big River Mining, LLC, P.O. Box 186, 

New Haven, West Virginia 25626 has 

filed a petition to modify the 

application of 30 CFR 75.900 (Low- and 

medium-voltage circuits serving threephase alternating current equipment; 

circuit breakers) to its Broad Run Mine 

(MSHA I.D. No. 46–09136) located in 

Mason County, West Virginia. The 

petitioner proposes to use a contactor in 

certain locations in series with the 

circuit breaker. The petitioner states 

that: (1) The contactors are designed and 

rated for switching and will switch a 

great number of times more than a 

circuit breaker without failure and are 

more reliable than circuit breakers for 

switching when used within their 

rating; (2) many of the installations use 

a circuit breaker in series with a 

contactor, but Big River Mining would 

like to use the circuit breaker for short 

circuit; (3) the contactor may be 

equipped to provide undervoltage, 

grounded phase protection, overload 

protection, and other protective 

functions normally provided by the 

circuit breaker; and (4) the contactors 

would provide undervoltage, grounded 

phase, overload, and monitor the 

grounding conductors for low- and 

medium-voltage power circuits serving 

three-phase alternating current 

equipment using the following special 

terms and conditions: (a) The nominal 

voltage of the power circuits(s) will not 

exceed 995 volts; (b) the nominal 

voltage of the control circuit(s) and 

audible alarms units will not exceed 120 

volts; and (c) the contactor will be built 

into the same enclosure as the circuit 

breakers. Further details of the terms 

and conditions are listed in the petition 

for modification and are available upon 

request. The petitioner further states 

that the proposed alternative method 

would not be implemented until all 

qualified persons who perform work on 

the equipment and the circuits have 

received training in the safe 


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Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 186 / Tuesday, September 26, 2006 / Notices 56181 

maintenance procedures and terms and 

conditions of the Proposed Decision and 

Order. The petitioner asserts that the 

proposed alternative method would 

provide at least the same measure of 

protection as the existing standard. 

6. Round Mountain Gold Corporation 

[Docket No. M–2006–005–M] 

Round Mountain Gold Corporation, 

P.O. Box 480, Round Mountain, Nevada 

89045 has filed a petition to modify the 

application of 30 CFR 56.6309(b) (Fuel 

oil requirements for ANFO) to its Smoke 

Valley Common Operation (MSHA I.D. 

No. 26–00594) located in Nye County, 

Nevada. The petitioner proposes to 

install a commercially manufactured 

system (a Doerschneider oil blender) 

specifically engineered to blend 

recycled oil with diesel fuel in the 

manufacturing process for ANFO. The 

resulting blend of recycled oils and 

diesel fuel will be used to manufacture 

ammonium nitrate-fuel oil (ANFO) for 

blasting. Further details of the terms and 

conditions are listed in the petition for 

modification and are available upon 

request. 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 Standards-Petitions@dol.gov. 

Include ‘‘petitions for modification’’ in 

the subject line of the e-mail. Comments 

can also be submitted by fax, regular 

mail, or hand-delivery. If faxing your 

comments, include ‘‘petitions for 

modification’’ on the subject line of the 

fax. Comments by regular mail or handdelivery should be submitted to the 

Mine Safety and Health Administration, 

Office of Standards, Regulations, and 

Variances, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, 

Room 2350, Arlington, Virginia 22209. 

If hand-delivered, you are required to 

stop by the 21st floor to check in with 

the receptionist. All comments must be 

postmarked or received by the Office of 

Standards, Regulations, and Variances 

on or before October 26, 2006. Copies of 

the petitions are available for inspection 

at that address. 

Dated at Arlington, Virginia this 19th day 

of September 2006. 

Ria Moore Benedict, 

Deputy Director, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances. 

[FR Doc. 06–8248 Filed 9–25–06; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND 

SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

[Notice (06-075)] 

National Environmental Policy Act; 

Advanced Radioisotope Power 

Systems 

AGENCY: National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration (NASA). 

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Final 

Programmatic Environmental Impact 

Statement (FPEIS) for the Development 

of Advanced Radioisotope Power 

Systems. 

SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National 

Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as 

amended (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 

seq.), the Council on Environmental 

Quality Regulations for Implementing 

the Procedural Provisions of NEPA (40 

CFR parts 1500–1508), and NASA 

policy and procedures (14 CFR part 

1216 subpart 1216.3), NASA has 

prepared and issued an FPEIS for the 

proposed development of two new types 

of advanced Radioisotope Power 

Systems (RPSs), the Multi-Mission 

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator 

(MMRTG) and the Stirling Radioisotope 

Generator (SRG). 

The purpose of this Proposed Action 

is to develop advanced power systems, 

specifically the MMRTG and the SRG, 

that would be able to function in the 

environments encountered in space and 

on the surfaces of planets, moons, and 

other solar system bodies that have an 

atmosphere thus enabling a broad range 

of long-term space exploration missions. 

Included in this Proposed Action are 

NASA’s long-term research and 

development (R&D) activities focused 

on alternative radioisotope power 

systems and power conversion 

technologies. The long-term R&D 

activities could include, but not 

necessarily be limited to, improvements 

to further increase the versatility of 

future RPS designs, expanding their 

capability and the environments in 

which they can operate. 

The long-term R&D activities are also 

expected to include activities to develop 

RPS designs with smaller electrical 

outputs and efforts to reduce the mass 

of power conversion systems to further 

improve specific power (watts of 

electrical power per unit of mass). Such 

long-term R&D activities do not involve 

the use of radioactive material. 

The only alternative to the Proposed 

Action considered in detail is the No 

Action Alternative, where NASA would 

discontinue development efforts for the 

production of the MMRTG and the SRG 

and would continue to consider the use 

of currently available RPSs, such as the 

General Purpose Heat Source—

Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator 

(GPHS–RTG), for future exploration 

missions. As with the Proposed Action, 

NASA’s long-term R&D activities on 

alternative radioisotope power systems 

and power conversion technologies 

would continue. The Proposed Action is 

NASA’s preferred alternative. 

DATES: NASA will take no final action 

on the proposed development of 

advanced RPSs on or before October 30, 

2006, or 30 days from the date of 

publication in the Federal Register of 

the U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency (EPA) notice of availability 

(NOA) of the FPEIS for the Development 

of Advanced Radioisotope Power 

Systems, whichever is later. 

ADDRESSES: The FPEIS may be viewed 

at the following locations: 

(a) NASA Headquarters, Library, 

Room 1J20, 300 E Street, SW., 

Washington, DC 20546. 

(b) NASA, NASA Information Center, 

Glenn Research Center, 21000 

Brookpark Road, Cleveland, OH 44135 

after contacting the Freedom of 

Information Officer (866–404–3642). 

(c) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Visitors 

Lobby, Building 249, 4800 Oak Grove 

Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109. 

In addition, hard copies of the FPEIS 

may be examined at other NASA 

Centers (see SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION below). 

Limited hard copies of the FPEIS are 

available for distribution by contacting 

Mr. David Lavery at the address, 

telephone number, or electronic mail 

address indicated below. The FPEIS also 

is available in Acrobat portable 

document format at 

http://spacescience.nasa.gov/admin/ 

pubs/rps/. NASA’s Record of Decision 

(ROD) will also be placed on that Web 

site when it is issued. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. 

David Lavery, Planetary Science 

Division, Science Mission Directorate, 

Mail Suite 3T82, NASA Headquarters, 

300 E Street SW., Washington, DC 

20546–0001, telephone 202–358–4800, 

or electronic mail rpseis@nasa.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NASA, in 

cooperation with the U.S. Department of 

Energy (DOE), proposes to: 

(1) Develop in the near-term and 

qualify for flight two advanced RPSs, 

the MMRTG and the SRG. The MMRTG 

and the SRG would be able to satisfy a 

broader range of future space 

exploration missions than are currently 

possible with existing radioisotope 

power technologies specifically, the 

GPHS–RTG used on the Galileo, 

Ulysses, Cassini, and New Horizons 

missions. The GPHS–RTG generates 


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