MINUTES
Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered Equipment
Fayette County Health Center, Uniontown, PA
December 1, 1999

The Technical Advisory Committee on Diesel-Powered Equipment (TAC) held a special meeting on December 1 at the Fayette County Health Center in Uniontown. The meeting began at 10 a.m.

Attendance:
Members Present:

Eugene Davis
Robert DuBreucq

Others Present:

Richard Sticker, BDMS
Matthew A. Bertovich, BDMS
Joseph A. Sbaffoni, BDMS
John Antoon, Jr., BDMS
Larry Saver, Brookville Mining Equipment Corp.
John Gallick, RAG Emerald
Joe Sieber, DEP Policy Office
Marc Roda, DEP Regulatory Counsel
John H. Ealy, UMWA, Local 2300 Safety Committee
Jaime E. Pacheco, UMWA Local 2300 Vice President

Minutes of the October 20 meeting were approved with one minor addition. The Brookville Model 1044 TC tractor is equipped with a Deutz MWM D916-6 engine.

TAC Recommendations: In a letter dated December 1, 1999, the TAC recommended that the Bureau approve the Brookville Model 1044 TC tractor equipped with a Deutz MWM 916-6 engine and DST exhaust after-treatment system. In the same letter, the TAC recommended that the Bureau approve the Model 18M 100D personnel carrier/locomotive equipped with the Caterpillar 3304 PCNA engine and DST exhaust after-treatment system. The recommendations for both engines specify that the "General Specifications of the Diesel-Powered Equipment Package" of each engine is strictly adhered to at all times, including a new exhaust gas shut down temperature of 285° F.

In a second letter dated December 1, 1999, the TAC recommended the Bureau approve an alternate test for carbon monoxide for the Brookville Model 18M 100D personnel carrier/locomotive.

New Business: Gene Davis stated his concerns regarding the measurement of nitrogen oxide emissions from the engines. Some testing has shown an increase in NOx when the exhaust is run through a catalytic converter. He will send a letter to the Bureau asking us to investigate this and how it would effect future approval requests. Mr. Davis made comments concerning the GreenWorks link from the BDMS page. He will be asking the Department to remove this.

Old Business: Joseph Sbaffoni provided a response to a number of enforcement issues related to diesel usage underground which were asked at the October 20 meeting. An outline of those responses is attached. Mr. Ealy and Mr. Pacheco, UMWA Local 2300, expressed concerns about the frequency of training being provided at their operations. The Bureau will investigate this matter.

Change of date for the October meeting -- The Department requested that the TAC change the October 18, 2000, meeting to October 25, 2000, to accommodate mine rescue exercises for that week. The TAC agreed.

The meeting adjourned at 11:14 a.m. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on January 19, 2000, at 10 a.m. in Uniontown.