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DOL/MSHA

RIN: 1219-AA81

Publication ID: Spring 1998

Title: Coal Mine Dust
Abstract: The Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 established the first comprehensive respirable dust standards for coal mines. These standards were designed to reduce the incidence of coal workers' pneumoconiosis ("black lung") and silicosis and eventually eliminate these diseases. While significant progress has been made toward improving the health conditions in our Nation's coal mines, miners continue to be at risk of developing occupational lung disease, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. In February 1996, the Secretary convened a Federal Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Pneumoconiosis Among Coal Miners (Advisory Committee) to assess the adequacy of MSHA's current program and standards to control respirable dust in underground and surface coal mines, as well as other ways to eliminate black lung and silicosis among coal miners. The Committee submitted its report to the Secretary in November 1996, with the majority of the recommendations unanimously supported by the Committee members. ^PMSHA has completed a preliminary review of the Advisory Committee's recommendations. There are 20 principal recommendations set out in the Advisory Committee report, which are further subdivided into a total of approximately 100 distinct action items. MSHA has evaluated the recommendations and will respond to them in an orderly fashion. The agency issued a status report notifying the public of MSHA's actions on the Advisory Committee's recommendations. More than one-third of the action items have been either fully implemented or approval of the proposed agency action is pending, while staff work on some 36 other action items is currently underway.
Agency: Department of Labor(DOL)	Priority: Other Significant
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda	Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Prerule Stage
Major: No	Unfunded Mandates: No
CFR Citation: 30 CFR 70 30 CFR 71 30 CFR 72 30 CFR 90
Legal Authority: 30 USC 811 30 USC 812

Timetable:

Action	Date	FR Cite
Availability of Recommendations	11/26/1996	61 FR 60120
Agency Response to Advisory Committee Recommendations	01/24/1997	62 FR 3717
Policy Document - Phase 1 Press Release - Effective 6/15/97	05/05/1997
Policy Document - Phase 2	12/31/1997	62 FR 68372
Policy Document - Phase 3	05/00/1998

Additional Information: X-ray surveillance is a separate regulation (1219-AB09).
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes	Government Levels Affected: None
Small Entities Affected: Businesses
Included in the Regulatory Plan: Yes
Agency Contact: Patricia W. Silvey Director, Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances Department of Labor Mine Safety and Health Administration Room 631, 1100 Wilson Boulevard, Room 2350, Arlington, VA 22209-3939 Phone:202 693-9440 Fax:202 693-9441 Email: silvey.patricia@dol.gov