Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 55 / Tuesday, March 22, 2022 / Notices 16239 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

[OMB Control No. 1219–0150] 

Proposed Extension of Information 

Collection; Pattern of Violations 

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, Labor. 

ACTION: Request for public comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as 

part of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance request for 

comment to provide the general public 

and Federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

collections of information in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. This request helps to ensure that: 

Requested data can be provided in the 

desired format; reporting burden (time 

and financial resources) is minimized; 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood; and the impact of collection 

requirements on respondents can be 

properly assessed. Currently, the Mine 

Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA) is soliciting comments on the 

information collection for Pattern of 

Violations. 

DATES: All comments must be received 

on or before May 23, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment 

as follows. Please note that late, 

untimely filed comments will not be 

considered. 

Electronic Submissions: Submit 

electronic comments in the following 

way: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments 

for MSHA–2022–0014. Comments 

submitted electronically, including 

attachments, to https://

www.regulations.gov will be posted to 

the docket, with no changes. Because 

your comment will be made public, you 

are responsible for ensuring that your 

comment does not include any 

confidential information that you or a 

third party may not wish to be posted, 

such as your or anyone else’s Social 

Security number or confidential 

business information. 

• If your comment includes 

confidential information that you do not 

wish to be made available to the public, 

submit the comment as a written/paper 

submission. 

Written/Paper Submissions: Submit 

written/paper submissions in the 

following way: 

• Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit 

DOL–MSHA, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Before visiting MSHA 

in person, call 202–693–9455 to make 

an appointment, in keeping with the 

Department of Labor’s COVID–19 

policy. Special health precautions may 

be required. 

• MSHA will post your comment as 

well as any attachments, except for 

information submitted and marked as 

confidential, in the docket at https://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. 

Aromie Noe, Acting Director, Office of 

Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 

MSHA, at 

MSHA.information.collections@dol.gov 

(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202) 

693–9441 (facsimile). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine 

Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes 

MSHA to collect information necessary 

to carry out its duty in protecting the 

safety and health of miners. Further, 

section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 

811(a), authorizes the Secretary of Labor 

to develop, promulgate, and revise as 

may be appropriate, improved 

mandatory health or safety standards for 

the protection of life and prevention of 

injuries in coal or other mines. 

Under the Mine Act, MSHA is 

required to issue a pattern of violations 

notice to any mine operator that 

demonstrates a disregard for the health 

and safety of miners through a pattern 

of significant and substantial violations. 

A significant and substantial violation is 

one that contributes to a safety or health 

hazard that is reasonably likely to result 

in a reasonably serious injury or illness. 

The pattern of violations provision 

helps to ensure that mine operators 

manage health and safety conditions at 

mines and find and fix the root causes 

of significant and substantial violations 

before they become a hazard to miners. 

The issuance of a pattern of violations 

notice provides additional incentive for 

chronic violators to comply with the 

Mine Act and MSHA’s safety and health 

standards. In determining whether to 

issue a pattern of violations notice, 

MSHA reviews any mitigating 

circumstances, in accordance with 

paragraph 30 CFR 104.2(a)(8). Among 

the mitigating circumstances that MSHA 

could consider is an approved 

corrective action program that has 

succeeded in reducing significant and 

substantial violations. 

II. Desired Focus of Comments 

MSHA is soliciting comments 

concerning the proposed information 

collection related to Pattern of 

Violations. MSHA is particularly 

interested in comments that: 

• Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Agency, including whether the 

information has practical utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA’s 

estimate of the burden related to the 

information collection, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used in the estimate; 

• Suggest methods to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the 

information collection on those who are 

to respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 

Background documents related to this 

information collection request are 

available at https://regulations.gov and 

at DOL–MSHA located at 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Questions about the 

information collection requirements 

may be directed to the person listed in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice. 

III. Current Actions 

This information collection request 

concerns provisions for pattern of 

violations. MSHA has updated the data 

with respect to the number of 

respondents, responses, burden hours, 

and burden costs supporting this 

information collection request from the 

previous information collection request. 

Type of Review: Extension, without 

change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

Agency: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration. 

OMB Number: 1219–0150. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit. 

Number of Respondents: 6. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Number of Responses: 12. 

Annual Burden Hours: 304 hours. 

Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper 

Cost: $800. 

Comments submitted in response to 

this notice will be summarized in the 

request for Office of Management and 

Budget approval of the proposed 

information collection request; they will 

become a matter of public record and 


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16240 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 55 / Tuesday, March 22, 2022 / Notices 

will be available at https://

www.reginfo.gov. 

Song-ae Aromie Noe, 

Certifying Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05994 Filed 3–21–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

[OMB Control No. 1219–0083] 

Proposed Extension of Information 

Collection; Daily Inspection of Surface 

Coal Mine; Certified Person; Reports of 

Inspection (Pertains to Surface Coal 

Mines) 

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration, Labor. 

ACTION: Request for public comments. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as 

part of its continuing effort to reduce 

paperwork and respondent burden, 

conducts a pre-clearance request for 

comment to provide the general public 

and Federal agencies with an 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

collections of information in accordance 

with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 

1995. This request helps to ensure that: 

Requested data can be provided in the 

desired format; reporting burden (time 

and financial resources) is minimized; 

collection instruments are clearly 

understood; and the impact of collection 

requirements on respondents can be 

properly assessed. Currently, the Mine 

Safety and Health Administration 

(MSHA) is soliciting comments on the 

information collection for Daily 

Inspection of Surface Coal Mine; 

Certified Person; Reports of Inspection 

(pertains to surface coal mines). 

DATES: All comments must be received 

on or before May 23, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comment 

as follows. Please note that late, 

untimely filed comments will not be 

considered. 

Electronic Submissions: Submit 

electronic comments in the following 

way: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: 

https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 

instructions for submitting comments 

for MSHA–2022–0001. 

• Comments submitted electronically, 

including attachments, to https://

www.regulations.gov will be posted to 

the docket, with no changes. Because 

your comment will be made public, you 

are responsible for ensuring that your 

comment does not include any 

confidential information that you or a 

third party may not wish to be posted, 

such as your or anyone else’s Social 

Security number or confidential 

business information. 

• If your comment includes 

confidential information that you do not 

wish to be made available to the public, 

submit the comment as a written/paper 

submission. 

Written/Paper Submissions: Submit 

written/paper submissions in the 

following way: 

• Mail/Hand Delivery: Mail or visit 

DOL–MSHA, Office of Standards, 

Regulations, and Variances, 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Before visiting MSHA 

in person, call 202–693–9455 to make 

an appointment, in keeping with the 

Department of Labor’s COVID–19 

policy. Special health precautions may 

be required. 

• MSHA will post your comment as 

well as any attachments, except for 

information submitted and marked as 

confidential, in the docket at https://

www.regulations.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: S. 

Aromie Noe, Acting Director, Office of 

Standards, Regulations, and Variances, 

MSHA, at 

MSHA.information.collections@dol.gov 

(email); (202) 693–9440 (voice); or (202) 

693–9441 (facsimile). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

Section 103(h) of the Federal Mine 

Safety and Health Act of 1977 (Mine 

Act), 30 U.S.C. 813(h), authorizes 

MSHA to collect information necessary 

to carry out its duty in protecting the 

safety and health of miners. Further, 

section 101(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. 

811(a), authorizes the Secretary of Labor 

(Secretary) to develop, promulgate, and 

revise as may be appropriate, improved 

mandatory health or safety standards for 

the protection of life and prevention of 

injuries in coal or other mines. 

Section 77.1713, Title 30 of the Code 

of Federal Regulations requires coal 

mine operators to conduct examinations 

of each active working area of surface 

mines, active surface installations such 

as preparation plants for hazardous 

conditions during each shift. A number 

of potential hazards can exist at surface 

coal mines and facilities. Highwalls, 

mining equipment, travelways, and the 

handling of mining materials each 

present potentially hazardous 

conditions. A report of hazardous 

conditions detected must be entered 

into a record book along with a 

description of any corrective actions 

taken. By conducting an on-shift 

examination for hazardous conditions, 

mine operators can better ensure a safe 

working environment for the miners and 

a reduction in accidents. 

II. Desired Focus of Comments 

MSHA is soliciting comments 

concerning the proposed information 

collection, Daily Inspection of Surface 

Coal Mine; Certified Person; Reports of 

Inspection (pertains to surface coal 

mines). MSHA is particularly interested 

in comments that: 

• Evaluate whether the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

Agency, including whether the 

information has practical utility; 

• Evaluate the accuracy of MSHA’s 

estimate of the burden related to the 

information collection, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used in the estimate; 

• Suggest methods to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the 

information collection on those who are 

to respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of responses. 

Background documents related to this 

information collection request are 

available at https://regulations.gov and 

at DOL–MSHA located at 201 12th 

Street South, Suite 4E401, Arlington, 

VA 22202–5452. Questions about the 

information collection requirements 

may be directed to the person listed in 

the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

section of this notice. 

III. Current Actions 

This information collection request 

concerns provisions for this information 

collection, Daily Inspection of Surface 

Coal Mine; Certified Person; Reports of 

Inspection (pertains to surface coal 

mines). MSHA has updated the data 

with respect to the number of 

respondents, responses, burden hours, 

and burden costs supporting this 

information collection request from the 

previous information collection request. 

Type of Review: Extension, without 

change, of a currently approved 

collection. 

Agency: Mine Safety and Health 

Administration. 

OMB Number: 1219–0083. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit. 

Number of Respondents: 796. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Number of Responses: 248,880. 

Annual Burden Hours: 373,320 hours. 

Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper 

Cost: $0. 


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