[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 26, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 28496]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13895]



[[Page 28496]]

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

30 CFR Parts 56, 57, 62, 70, and 71


Health Standards for Occupational Noise Exposure in Coal, Metal 
and Nonmetal Mines

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Proposed rule; Notice of preliminary determination of no 
significant environmental impact; request for comments; limited 
reopening of rulemaking record.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the preliminary determination by the 
Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) that the proposed rule for 
occupational noise exposure in coal, metal and nonmetal mines will have 
no significant environmental impact. MSHA is reopening the rulemaking 
record for the limited purpose of receiving comment on its preliminary 
determination.

DATES: Submit written comments on or before June 25, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be transmitted by electronic mail, fax or mail. 
Comments by electronic mail must be clearly identified as such and sent 
to this e-mail address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#81e2eeecece4eff5f2c1ecf2e9e0afe6eef7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="385b5755555d564c4b78554b5059165f574e">[email protected]</span></a>. Comments by fax must be 
clearly identified as such and sent to: Mine Safety and Health 
Administration, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances, 703-
235-5551. Send mail comments to: Mine Safety and Health Administration, 
Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances, Room 631, 4015 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203-1984. Interested persons are 
encouraged to supplement written comments with computer files or disks; 
please contact the Agency with any questions about format.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia W. Silvey, Director, Office 
of Standards, Regulations and Variances, 703-235-1910.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 1996, MSHA published a 
proposed rule in the Federal Register (61 FR 66348) revising its health 
standards for occupational noise exposure in coal, metal and nonmetal 
mines. The Agency concluded that the existing rules are inadequate to 
prevent the occurrence of occupational noise-induced hearing loss among 
miners (NIHL).
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
4321 et. seq.), requires each Federal agency to consider the 
environmental effects of proposed actions and to prepare an 
Environmental Impact Statement on major actions significantly affecting 
the quality of the human environment. MSHA has reviewed the proposed 
standard in accordance with the requirements of the NEPA, the 
regulation of the Council on Environmental Quality (40 CFR Part 1500), 
and the Department of Labor's NEPA procedures (29 CFR Part 11). As a 
result of this review, MSHA has preliminarily determined that this 
proposed standard will have no significant environmental impact.
    Commenters are encouraged to submit their comments on this 
determination on or before June 25, 1998.

    Dated: May 19, 1998.
J. Davitt McAteer,
Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 98-13895 Filed 5-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P


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