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. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-98-19-C]

Energy West Mining Company, P.O. Box 310, Huntington, Utah 84528

has filed a petition requesting an amendment to the Proposed Decision

and Order (PDO) of its previously granted petition for modification of

30 CFR 75.350 (air courses and belt haulage entries), docket number M-

98-166-C, for its Trail Mountain Mine (I.D. No. 42-01211) located in

Emery County, Utah. The petitioner requests that Item (u) of the

previous PDO be amended to replace the existing language with the

language specified in this petition in the ``Requirements Applicable to

Two-Entry Development, Longwall Set-Up and Recovery and Retreat Mining

Systems'' to address installation and maintenance of hydraulic fluid

pump stations. The petitioner asserts that the changes outlined in this

petition are necessary for the high-pressure emulsion stations within

the two-entry longwall retreat sections at the Energy West's Trail

Mountain Mine. In addition, the petitioner asserts that the proposed

alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

2. Energy West Mining Company

[Docket No. M-98-20-C]

Energy West Mining Company, P.O. Box 310, Huntington, Utah 84528

has filed a petition requesting an amendment to the Proposed Decision

and Order (PDO) of its previously granted petition for modification of

30 CFR 75.352 (return air courses), docket number M-94-167-C, for its

Trail Mountain Mine (I.D. No. 42-01211) located in Emery County, Utah.

The petitioner requests that Item (u) of the previous PDO be amended to

replace the existing language with the language specified in this

petition in the ``Requirements Applicable to Two-Entry Development,

Longwall Set-Up and Recovery and Retreat Mining Systems'' to address

installation and maintenance of hydraulic fluid pump stations. The

petitioner asserts that changes outlined in this petition are necessary

for the high-pressure emulsion station within the two-entry longwall

retreat sections at the Energy West's Trail Mountain Mine. In addition,

the petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would

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

standard.

3. Peabody Coal Company

[Docket No. M-98-21-C]

Peabody Coal Company, 800 Laidley Tower, P.O. Box 1233, Charleston,

West Virginia 25324 has filed a petition to modify the application of

30 CFR 75.364(a)(1) (weekly examination) to its Camp No. 1 Mine (I.D.

No. 15-02709) located in Union County, Kentucky. Due to hazardous roof

conditions in the air course entries, traveling the affected area would

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

weekly examinations at established evaluation points immediately inby

and outby the affected area to determine methane and oxygen

concentrations and the volume of air, and record the results in a book

maintained on the surface of the mine. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

4. Consolidation Coal Company

[Docket No. M-98-22-C]

Consolidation Coal Company, Consol Plaza, 1800 Washington Road,

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241-1421 has filed a petition to modify the

application of 30 CFR 75.503 (permissible electric face equipment;

maintenance) to its Rend Lake Mine (I.D. No.11-00601) located in

Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. The petitioner proposes to use a

spring-loaded metal locking device instead of padlocks for securing

battery-charging plugs to machine-mounted battery receptacles on

permissible, mobile, battery-powered scoop cars. The petitioner asserts

that the proposed alternative method would provide at least the same

measure of protection as would the mandatory standard.

5. Fray Mining, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-23-C]

Fray Mining, Inc., P.O. Box 942, Tazewell, Virginia 24651 has filed

a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 77.214(a) (refuse piles;

general) to its Mine No. 3 (I.D. No. 44-03524) located in Buchanan

County, Virginia. The petitioner requests a modification of the

standard to allow construction of a refuse bench fill in an area

containing abandoned mine openings. The petitioner asserts that the

proposed alternative method would provide at least the same measure of

protection as would the mandatory standard.

6. Mountaineer Mining Management, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-24-C]

Mountaineer Mining Management, Inc., P.O. Box 1090, Oceana, West

Virginia 24890 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

75.364 (weekly examination) to its No. 3 Mine (I.D. No. 46-08369)

located in Boone County, West Virginia. Due to fallen material in the

old mine workings (Kopperton No. 2 Mine) where the No. 3 mine is mined

into, the area is unsafe to seal off. The petitioner proposes to

install a continuous gas monitoring system to monitor the air quality

for air coming out of the old mine workings. The petitioner states that

the monitoring system would include an audible warning signal and a

visual strobe light

[[Page 18233]]

signal to alert surface personnel of any problems underground. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide

at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

7. Marrowbone Development Company

[Docket No. M-98-25-C]

Marrowbone Development Company, P.O. Box 119, Naugatuck, West

Virginia 25685 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

75.350 (air courses and belt haulage entries) to its North Marrowbone

Creek Mine (I.D. No. 46-08680) located in Mingo County, West Virginia.

The petitioner proposes to use an automatic fire detection system based

on carbon monoxide monitoring of the underground conveyor entries to

allow air coursed through conveyor belt entries to be used to ventilate

active working places. The petitioner proposes to install a carbon

monoxide detection system as an early warning fire detection system in

all belt entries used to course intake air to a working place. The

petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative method would provide

at least the same measure of protection as would the mandatory

standard.

8. Marrowbone Development Company

[Docket No. M-98-26-C]

Marrowbone Development Company, P.O. box 119, Naugatuck, West

Virginia 25685 has filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR

75.503 (permissible electric face equipment; maintenance) to its North

Marrowbone Creek Mine (I.D. No. 46-08680) located in Mingo County, West

Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use permanently installed spring-

loaded locking devices instead of padlocks on battery plugs. The

petitioner proposes to install and maintain spring-loaded locking

devices on battery plugs to prevent the threaded rings that secures the

battery plugs to the battery receptacles from loosening

unintentionally. The petitioner asserts that the proposed alternative

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

the mandatory standard.

9. Eagle Energy, Inc.

[Docket No. M-98-27-C]

Eagle Energy, Inc., P.O. Box 368, Madison, West Virginia 25130 has

filed a petition to modify the application of 30 CFR 75.1002 (location

of trolley wires, trolley feeder wires, high-voltage cables and

transformers) to its Mine No. 1 (I.D. No. 46-07711) located in Boone

County, West Virginia. The petitioner proposes to use 4,160 volt cables

to power longwall equipment. The petitioner states that all personnel

who perform maintenance on the longwall or miners who work in proximity

of the high-voltage equipment would receive training in high-voltage

safety and maintenance procedures before this proposed alternative

method is implemented.

Request for Comments

Persons interested in these petitions are encouraged to submit

comments via e-mail to ``[email protected]'', or on a computer disk

along with an original hard copy to the Office of Standards,

Regulations, and Variances, Mine Safety and Health Administration, 4015

Wilson Boulevard, Room 627, Arlington, Virginia 22203. All comments

must be postmarked or received in that office on or before May 14,

1998. Copies of these petitions are available for inspection at that

address.

Dated: April 8, 1998.

Patricia W. Silvey,

Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances.

[FR Doc. 98-9722 Filed 4-13-98; 8:45 am]

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