Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 110 / Thursday, June 10, 2021 / Notices 30987 

required by the standard in the affected 

areas of the mine. 

(d) Employees will be trained on how 

to properly use and take care of the 

CleanSpace EX according to 

manufacturer guidelines. 

(e) Qualified miners will receive 

training regarding the information in the 

Decision and Order before using the 

equipment in the relevant part of the 

mine. A record of the training will be 

kept and available upon request. 

(f) Within 60 days of the Decision and 

Order becoming finalized, the petitioner 

will submit proposed revisions to 30 

CFR 75.370, mine ventilation, to be 

approved under the 30 CFR part 48 

training plan by the Coal Mine Safety 

and Health District Manager. The 

revisions will specify initial and 

refresher training. When the training is 

conducted, the MSHA Certificate of 

Training (Form 5000–23) will be 

completed. Comments will be made on 

the certificate to note non-permissible 

testing equipment training. 

The petitioner asserts that the 

alternate method proposed will at all 

times guarantee no less than the same 

measure of protection afforded the 

miners under the mandatory standard. 

Jessica D. Senk, 

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, 

and Variances. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12161 Filed 6–9–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4520–43–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

Mine Safety and Health Administration 

[OMB Control No. 1219–0103] 

Proposed Extension of Information 

Collection; Notification of Methane 

Detected in Underground Metal and 

Nonmetal Mine Atmospheres 

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 Notification 

of Methane Detected in Underground 

Metal and Nonmetal Mine Atmospheres. 

DATES: All comments must be received 

on or before August 9, 2021. 

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 docket number MSHA–2021–0009. 

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. 

• 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: 

Jessica Senk, 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, 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. 

Methane is a flammable gas found in 

underground mines in the United 

States. Although methane is often 

associated with underground coal 

mines, it also occurs in some metal and 

nonmetal mines. Underground metal 

and Nonmetal mines are categorized 

according to the potential to liberate 

methane (30 CFR 57.22003—Mine 

category or subcategory). Methane is a 

colorless, odorless, tasteless gas, and it 

tends to rise to the roof of a mine 

because it is lighter than air. Although 

methane itself is nontoxic, its presence 

reduces the oxygen content by dilution 

when mixed with air and, consequently, 

can act as an asphyxiant when present 

in large quantities. 

Methane may enter the mining 

environment from a variety of sources 

including fractures, faults, or shear 

zones overlying or underlying the strata 

that surround the ore body, or from the 

ore body itself. It may occur as an 

occluded gas within the ore body. 

Methane mixed with air is explosive in 

the range of 5 to 15 percent, provided 

that 12 percent or more oxygen is 

present. The presence of dust containing 

volatile matter in the mine atmosphere 

may further enhance the potential for 

methane to explode in a mine. Section 

103(i) of Mine Act requires additional 

inspections be conducted at mines 

depending on the amount of methane 

liberated from a mine. 

Title 30 CFR 57.22004(c) requires 

operators of underground metal and 

nonmetal mines to notify MSHA as soon 

as possible if any of the following events 

occur: (a) There is an outburst that 

results in 0.25 percent or more methane 

in the mine atmosphere, (b) there is a 

blowout that results in 0.25 percent or 

more methane in the mine atmosphere, 

(c) there is an ignition of methane, or (d) 

air sample results indicate 0.25 percent 

or more methane in the mine 

atmosphere of a I–B, I–C, II–B, V–B, or 

Category VI mine. Under sections 

57.22239 and 57.22231, if methane 

reaches 2.0 percent in a Category IV 

mine or if methane reaches 0.25 percent 

in the mine atmosphere of a 

Subcategory I–B, II–B, V–B, or VI mine, 

MSHA shall be notified immediately. 

Although the standards do not specify 

how MSHA is to be notified, MSHA 

anticipates that the notifications would 

be made by telephone. 

Sections 57.22229 and 57.22230 

require that the mine atmosphere be 

tested for methane and/or carbon 

dioxide at least once every 7 days by a 

competent person or atmospheric 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
30988 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 110 / Thursday, June 10, 2021 / Notices 

monitoring system, or a combination of 

both. Section 57.2229 applies to 

underground metal and nonmetal mines 

categorized as I–A, III, and V–A mines 

where the atmosphere is tested for both 

methane and carbon dioxide. Section 

57.22230 applies to underground metal 

and nonmetal mines categorized as II– 

A mines where the atmosphere is tested 

for methane. Where examinations 

disclose hazardous conditions, affected 

miners must be informed. Sections 

57.22229(d) and 57.22230(c) require that 

the person performing the tests certify 

by signature and date that the tests have 

been conducted. Certifications of 

examinations shall be kept for at least 1 

year and made available to authorized 

representatives of the Secretary. 

II. Desired Focus of Comments

MSHA is soliciting comments

concerning the proposed information 

collection related to Notification of 

Methane Detected in Underground 

Metal and Nonmetal Mine Atmospheres. 

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 of the collection 

of information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

• Suggest methods to enhance the

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected; and 

• Minimize the burden of the

collection of information 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 

in 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 section of 

this notice. 

III. Current Actions

This information collection request

concerns provisions for Notification of 

Methane Detected in Underground 

Metal and Nonmetal Mine Atmospheres. 

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: 1219–0103. 

Affected Public: Business or other forprofit. 

Number of Respondents: 6. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Number of Responses: 319. 

Annual Burden Hours: 27 hours. 

Annual Respondent or Recordkeeper 

Cost: $0. 

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 

will be available at https://

www.reginfo.gov. 

Jessica Senk, 

Certifying Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–12159 Filed 6–9–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4510–43–P 

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE 

CORPORATION 

[MCC FR 21–05] 

Notice of First Amendment to Compact 

With the Republic of Ghana 

AGENCY: Millennium Challenge 

Corporation. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Millennium Challenge Act of 2003, as 

amended, the Millennium Challenge 

Corporation is publishing a summary, 

justification, and full text of the 

proposed First Amendment to 

Millennium Challenge Compact 

between the United States of America, 

acting through the Millennium 

Challenge Corporation, and the 

Republic of Ghana. Representatives of 

the United States Government and the 

Government of Ghana plan to conclude 

the Amendment in June 2021. 

(Authority: 22 U.S.C. 7708 (i) (2)) 

Dated: June 4, 2021. 

Thomas G. Hohenthaner, 

Acting VP/General Counsel and Corporate 

Secretary. 

Summary of First Amendment to 

Millennium Challenge Compact With 

the Republic of Ghana 

The Board of Directors of the 

Millennium Challenge Corporation 

(‘‘MCC’’) has approved an amendment 

(the ‘‘Amendment’’) to the existing 

US$308.2 million, five-year Millennium 

Challenge Compact between the United 

States of America, acting through MCC, 

and the Republic of Ghana (the 

‘‘Compact’’). 

Background 

The Compact was signed August 5, 

2014 and entered into force on 

September 6, 2016. The Compact aims 

to improve Ghana’s power sector 

through investments that provide more 

reliable and affordable electricity to 

Ghana’s businesses and households. 

Compact projects focus on improving 

the infrastructure in the country’s 

southern electricity distribution 

network, advancing energy efficiency 

programs, increasing power reliability 

and access to key markets, and 

strengthening Ghana’s electricity sector 

regulatory institutions. The investment 

strategy is based on an integrated loss 

management approach to reduce 

technical and commercial losses in the 

distribution system, reduce distribution 

system vulnerability, and reduce the 

frequency and duration of power 

outages. 

Scope of the Amendment 

MCC proposes to extend the term of 

the Compact for an additional ninemonths to June 6, 2022 and to provide 

additional funding up to $7,651,395. 

The term extension is necessary to 

mitigate implementation delays due to 

the COVID–19 pandemic and to 

complete infrastructure projects as 

originally contemplated. The proposed 

additional funding will be used to cover 

additional program administration and 

related oversight costs associated with 

extending the Compact’s term. 

Justification for the Amendment 

In late January 2020, MCC received 

the first reports from Ghana of COVID– 

19-related manufacturing delays from

equipment suppliers. On March 12,

2020, the Government of Ghana

confirmed its first two cases of COVID–

19 and later announced measures to

prevent and control the virus’ spread.

These included mandated social

distancing, restrictions on foreign

national entry to the country, border

closures, and partial lockdowns across

major cities, including the capital city of

Accra, the location of major compact

project sites. The impact of these

measures was immediate and seriously

affected the implementation timeline of

compact activities.

Measures to mitigate the spread of 

COVID–19 led to global supply chain 

disruptions and restrictions on the 

movement of technical experts, project 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES