# 2026-12658: Mining Company Petitions for Safety Standards Change

2026-12658, Petition for Modification of Application of Existing Mandatory Safety Standards, is a Federal Register notice from Labor Department, Mine Safety and Health Administration published 2026-06-24, effective All comments on the petition must be received by MSHA's Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances on or before July 24, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-07-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12658
- As of: 2026-07-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12658
- Title: Petition for Modification of Application of Existing Mandatory Safety Standards
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Labor Department; Mine Safety and Health Administration
- Citation: 91 FR 38018
- Published: 2026-06-24
- Effective: All comments on the petition must be received by MSHA's Office of Standards, Regulations, and Variances on or before July 24, 2026.
- Comments close: 2026-07-24
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-07-01

## In one line

Mining Company Petitions for Safety Standards Change

## Summary

Paramont Contura, LLC asked to change some mine safety rules to use a different way that keeps miners just as safe. This affects their mining operations and could change how they follow safety steps, with public comments due by July 24, 2026. The goal is to keep safety strong while possibly making things easier or more efficient for the company.

## Abstract

This notice is a summary of a petition for modification submitted to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) by Paramont Contura, LLC.

## Effects PRIA read

- Permission to Mine Through Plugged Wells: mixed, medium. Paramont Contura asked MSHA to let Deep Mine 46 in Virginia mine through plugged oil and gas wells using an alternative method if the MSHA District Manager approves and the operation follows the Proposed Decision and Order (PDO). The petition covers all wells within the mineable reserve and require…
- Stronger Onsite Mining-Through Safety Steps: benefit, medium. If MSHA approves the petition, the operator must follow detailed safety steps when mining through a well: hold a pre-mining conference if requested, get District Manager-approved shifts, limit access to essential personnel, have firefighting gear and roof support ready, and monitor methane at least…
- Detailed Plugging and Well Prep Requirements: cost, medium. The petitioned alternative requires the operator to clean out and plug wells to specified depths: at least 200 feet below the lowest mineable coal seam for wells under 4,000 feet total depth, or at least 400 feet below for wells 4,000 feet or deeper. It also requires pumping expanding cement under…
- Training and Emergency Plan Timing Rules: benefit, medium. Within 30 days after the MSHA PDO becomes final, the operator must submit revisions to its 30 CFR part 48 training plan and train miners involved in well intersections before mining within 150 feet of the next well; the operator must also submit revised mine emergency evacuation and firefighting pl…

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- [2026-10456](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-10456): Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2026, 2026-05-27
- [2026-19837](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19837): Proposed Extension of Information Collection: Certification and Qualification To Examine, Test, Operate Hoists and Perform Other Duties, 2026-09-29
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## Sources
- [2026-12658 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/24/2026-12658/petition-for-modification-of-application-of-existing-mandatory-safety-standards)
- [2026-12658 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-24/pdf/2026-12658.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-12657, Petition for Modification of Application of Existing Mandatory Safety Standards](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12657)
- [Next: 2026-12659, Foreign-Trade Zone (FTZ) 32; Authorization of Production Activity; 3nStar, Inc.…](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12659)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12658 (as of 2026-07-01).