[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20543-20545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-11273]



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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Mine Safety and Health Administration


Petitions for Modification

    The following parties have filed petitions to modify the 
application of mandatory safety standards under section 101(c) of the 
Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.

1. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-24-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.1202-1(a) (temporary notations, revisions, and supplements) to 
its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) 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 asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-25-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.1200(d) & (i) (mine map) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-
07859) 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 veins being mined except when 
veins are interconnected to other veins beyond the 100-foot limit 
through rock tunnel. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-26-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.364(b)(1), (4), and (5) (weekly examination) to its Last Chance 
Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. 
Due to hazardous conditions and roof falls, certain areas of the intake 
haulage slope and primary escapeway cannot be traveled safely. The 
petitioner proposes to examine these areas from the gunboat/slope car 
with an alternative air quality evaluation at the section's intake 
level, and to travel and thoroughly examine these areas for hazardous 
conditions once a month. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-27-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.360 (preshift examination) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 
36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner 
proposes to visually examine each seal for physical damage from the 
slope gunboat during the preshift examination after an air quality 
reading is taken in by the intake portal and to test for the quantity 
and quality of air at the intake air split locations off the slope in 
the gangway portion of the working section. The petitioner proposes to 
physically examine the entire length of the slope once a month. The 
petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide 
at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

5. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-28-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.335 (construction of seals) to its Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 
36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner 
requests a modification of the standard to permit alternative methods 
of construction using wooden materials of moderate size and weight due 
to the difficulty in accessing previously driven headings and breasts 
containing inaccessible abandoned workings; to accept a design criteria 
in the 10 psi range; and to permit the water trap to be

[[Page 20544]]

installed in the gangway seal and sampling tube in the monkey seal for 
seals installed in pairs. The petitioner asserts that the proposed 
alternative method would provide at least the same measure of 
protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. West End Coal Company, Deep Mine

[Docket No. M-96-29-C]

    West End Coal Company, Deep Mine, 525 Pine Street, Lykens, 
Pennsylvania 17048 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.1100 (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to its 
Last Chance Slope (I.D. No. 36-07859) located in Schuylkill County, 
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use only portable fire 
extinguishers to replace existing requirements where rock dust, water 
cars, and other water storage are not practical. The petitioner asserts 
that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same 
measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. Amax Coal Company

[Docket No. M-96-30-C]

    Amax Coal Company, One Oxford Centre, 301 Grant Street, 20th Floor, 
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-1410 has filed a petition to modify the 
application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment; 
maintenance) to its Wabash Mine (I.D. No. 11-00877) located in Wabash 
County, Illinois. The petitioner proposes to extend the length of 
portable trailing cables to 825 feet. These cables would carry 
electrical power from the working face transformer to the mobile roof 
supports. The trailing cables connecting the working section 
transformer to the mobile roof supports are No. 4 3/C G-GC. The 
petitioner is conducting second mining in certain areas of its mine 
where Voest-Alpine mobile roof supports are used and asserts that a 
safer mining process and more effective roof control is provided during 
second mining than if timbers and other types of support are used. In 
addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method 
would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the 
mandatory standard.

8. Eighty-Four Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-31-C]

    Eighty-Four Mining Company, 655 Church Street, Indiana, 
Pennsylvania 15701 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 
CFR 75.1100-2(e) (quantity and location of firefighting equipment) to 
its Mine 84 (I.D. No. 36-00958) located in Washington County, 
Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to provide two portable fire 
extinguishers or one portable fire extinguisher with twice the required 
capacity at each temporary electrical installation instead of providing 
one extinguisher and rock dust at temporary electrical installations. 
The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

9. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-32-C]

    Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood, 
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of 
30 CFR 75.325(b) (air quantity) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15-
17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to 
provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line constructed to 
separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms previously 
developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the stopping 
line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with the 
requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would be 
constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and temporary 
stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet deep or 
less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which the rooms 
are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in accordance 
with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner asserts that 
application of the standard would result in a diminution of safety to 
the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would provide at 
least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

10. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-33-C]

    Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood, 
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of 
30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) (preshift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine 
(I.D. No. 15-17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner 
proposes to provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line 
constructed to separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms 
previously developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the 
stopping line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with 
the requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would 
be constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and 
temporary stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet 
deep or less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which 
the rooms are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in 
accordance with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner 
asserts that application of the standard would result in a diminution 
of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

11. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-34-C]

    Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood, 
Colorado 80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of 
30 CFR 75.362(c)(1) (on-shift examination) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine 
(I.D. No. 15-17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner 
proposes to provide positive ventilation by using the stopping line 
constructed to separate the intake and return air courses in the rooms 
previously developed on the same panel. The petitioner states that the 
stopping line would be constructed and maintained in accordance with 
the requirements in 30 CFR 75.333; that permanent stopping lines would 
be constructed when rooms are driven more than 600 feet deep and 
temporary stopping lines would be used when rooms are driven 600 feet 
deep or less, as measured from the centerline of the panel from which 
the rooms are driven; and that air flow volumes would be measured in 
accordance with 30 CFR 75.360(c)(1) and 75.362(c)(1). The petitioner 
asserts that application of the standard would result in a diminution 
of safety to the miners; and that the proposed alternative method would 
provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

12. Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company

[Docket No. M-96-35-C]

    Pittsburg & Midway Coal Mining Company, P.O. Box 6518, Englewood 
80155-6518 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 
75.1700 (oil and gas wells) to its Sebree No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 15-
17044) located in Webster County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to 
mine through oil and gas wells. The petitioner asserts that the 
proposed alternative method would

[[Page 20545]]

provide at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory 
standard.

Request for Comments

    Persons interested in these petitions may furnish written comments. 
These comments must be filed with the Office of Standards, Regulations, 
and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, Room 627, 4015 
Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments must be 
postmarked or received in that office on or before June 6, 1996. Copies 
of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

    Dated: April 30, 1996.
Patricia W. Silvey,
Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.
[FR Doc. 96-11273 Filed 5-6-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P