Petitions for Modification

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. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-158-C]

Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box

1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify

the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(2) & (4) (weekly examination) to

its Lightfoot No. 1 Mine (I.D. No. 46-04332) located in Boone County,

West Virginia. Due to current roof conditions and roof falls in certain

locations of the return airway, traveling the area in its entirety

would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to establish two positive

return evaluation points, one in the No. 6 entry and one in the No. 4

entry, to measure the return airflow; to maintain and check evaluation

points Nos. 17 and 18 at least once every twenty-four hours; and to

designate a certified person to make these examinations and record the

results in an approved book. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. Clark Elkhorn Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-159-C]

Clark Elkhorn Coal Company, Inc., P.O. Box 2805, Pikeville,

Kentucky 41502 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

75.900 (low- and medium-voltage circuits serving three-phase

alternating current equipment; circuit breakers) to its Sunset No. 1

Mine (I.D. No. 15-11905) located in Pike County, Kentucky. The

petitioner proposes to use contactors for undervoltage protection

instead of using circuit breakers. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternate method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

3. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-160-C]

Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box

1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify

the application of 30 CFR 75.364(b)(1) (weekly examination) to its

Federal No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 46-01456) located in Monongalia County,

West Virginia. Due to large falls and deteriorating roof conditions in

certain areas of the intake air course, traveling the affected area

would be unsafe. The petitioner proposes to have a certified person

monitor the direction of the airflow and the methane and oxygen

concentrations at two check points on a weekly basis and record the

results on a date board. The petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. Pontiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-161-C]

Pontiki Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 801, Lovely, Kentucky 41231 has

filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air

courses and belt haulage entries) to its Pontiki No. 1 Mine (I.D. No.

15-08413) located in Martin County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes

to use belt haulage entries as intake air courses to ventilate active

working places. The petitioner proposes to install a low-level carbon

monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in

all belt entries used as intake air courses. The petitioner asserts

that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

5. Pontiki Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-162-C]

Pontiki Coal Corporation, P.O. Box 801, Lovely, Kentucky 41231 has

filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.350 (air

courses and belt haulage entries) to its Pontiki No. 2 Mine (I.D. No.

15-09571) located in Martin County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes

to use belt haulage entries as intake air courses to ventilate active

working places. The petitioner proposes to install a low-level carbon

monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in

all belt entries used as intake air courses. The petitioner asserts

that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. D.G.W. Coal Company

[Docket No. M-94-163-C]

D.G.W. Coal Company, P.O. Box 425-B2, Pine Grove, Pennsylvania

17963 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1405

(automatic couplers) to its No. 7 Vein Slope (I.D. No. 36-07093)

located in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to

use bar and pin or link and pin couplers on its underground haulage

equipment instead of automatic couplers. The petitioner asserts that

the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure

of protection as would the mandatory standard.

7. Mallie Coal Company, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-164-C]

Mallie Coal Company, Inc., Rt. 1, Box 211, Woodbine, Kentucky 30771

has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.342

(methane monitors) to its No. 4 Mine (I.D. No. 15- 17603) located in

Knox County, Kentucky. The petitioner proposes to monitor continuously

with a hand-held methane and oxygen detector instead of using a methane

monitoring system on permissible three-wheel tractors with drag bottom

buckets. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method

would provide at least the same measure of protection as would the

mandatory standard.

8. Eastern Associated Coal Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-165-C]

Eastern Associated Coal Corporation, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box

1233, Charleston, West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify

the application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment;

maintenance) to its Federal No. 2 Mine (I.D. No. 46-01456) located in

Monongalia County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to increase

the maximum length of its trailing cables supplying shuttle cars,

loading machines, and roof bolters to 900 feet from a nominal 480 volt,

3-phase alternating current system during longwall development; to have

the cables for shuttle cars and loading machines not smaller than #2

AWG with the maximum setting at 800 amps; to have the roof bolter cable

not smaller than #4 AWG with the maximum setting at 500 amps; and to

have the trip settings of these circuit breakers sealed or otherwise

fixed so that the unit settings cannot be set above the maximum

allowable value. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative

method would provide at least the same measure of protection as would

the mandatory standard.

9. Gray Quarries, Inc.

[Docket No. M-94-43-M]

Gray Quarries, Inc., P.O. Box 386, Hamilton, Illinois 62341 has

filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 56.6131(a)(1)

(location of explosive material storage facilities) to its Gray

Quarries (I.D. No. 11-00073) located in Hancock County, Illinois. The

petitioner requests a modification of the mandatory safety standard to

allow the storage facility to remain in its present location until a

new location can be established. The petitioner states that the only

other location that is within the mine site that would not create a

hazard cannot be used until mining is complete in that location.

10. J. M. Huber Corporation

[Docket No. M-94-44-M]

J. M. Huber Corporation, P.O. Box 306, Langley, South Carolina

29834 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

56.14101(a)(2) (brakes) to its Langley Plant (I.D. No. 38-00052)

located in Aiken County, South Carolina. The petitioner requests a

modification of the mandatory safety standard to allow the use of a

different type of parking device for its Case W-11B loaders because the

operator is not able to pull the handle into position when the parking

brakes are adjusted tight enough to hold on a ramp. The petitioner

proposes to park this mobile equipment between two mounds (speed brake

type) to ensure the safety of employees, equipment, and surrounding

area; to train designated loader operators in job requirement and safe

work practices; and to post a sign in each loader and at each

designated parking area stating the requirement for parking in the

designated area.

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 December 19, 1994.

Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that address.

Dated: November 10, 1994

Patricia W. Silvey,

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations and Variances.

[FR Doc. 94-28433 Filed 11-16-94; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4510-43-M