Left Fork Mining Company, Inc. (Commission decision, February 16, 2011)

Plain-English summary

Left Fork Mining asked the Commission to reopen a final penalty assessment. The Secretary initially opposed the request but withdrew that opposition after Left Fork and MSHA agreed on settlement terms. The Secretary asked for reopening solely so the parties could submit their settlement for approval. The Commission reopened the matter and remanded it to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for further proceedings.

Decision snapshot

• Governing provisions: 30 U.S.C. §§ 801 and 815(a)
• Outcome: The final assessment was reopened and remanded so the parties could submit a settlement agreement.
• Key point: A final assessment may be reopened for the limited purpose of presenting an agreed settlement for approval.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission

FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW

SUITE 9500

WASHINGTON, DC 20001

February 16, 2011

SECRETARY OF LABOR,

MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH

ADMINISTRATION (MSHA)

v.

LEFT FORK MINING COMPANY, INC.

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Docket No. KENT 2011-275

A.C. No. 15-12564-230239

BEFORE: Jordan, Chairman; Duffy, Young, Cohen, and Nakamura, Commissioners

ORDER

BY THE COMMISSION:

This matter arises under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C.
§ 801 et seq. (2006) (“Mine Act”). On December 3, 2010, the Commission received from Left Fork Mining Co., Inc., (“Left Fork”) a motion requesting that the Commission reopen a penalty assessment that had become a final order of the Commission pursuant to section 105(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. § 815(a). On January 13, 2011, the Commission received a response from the Secretary of Labor stating that she opposes the request to reopen the assessment. However, on January 28, 2011, the Commission received a letter from the Secretary seeking to withdraw her opposition.

Under section 105(a) of the Mine Act, an operator who wishes to contest a proposed penalty must notify the Secretary of Labor no later than 30 days after receiving the proposed penalty assessment. If the operator fails to notify the Secretary, the proposed penalty assessment is deemed a final order of the Commission. 30 U.S.C. § 815(a). We have held, however, that in appropriate circumstances, we possess jurisdiction to reopen uncontested assessments that have become final Commission orders under section 105(a). Jim Walter Res., Inc., 15 FMSHRC 782, 786-89 (May 1993).

In her letter filed on January 28, the Secretary states that Left Fork and the Mine Safety and Health Administration have reached agreement on terms for settling the penalty assessments involved in the captioned proceeding. The Secretary requests withdrawal of her opposition to allow reopening for the sole purpose of submitting a settlement agreement for approval.

Having reviewed the facts and circumstances of this case, the operator’s request, and the Secretary’s responses, we hereby reopen this matter and remand it to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for further proceedings pursuant to the Mine Act and the Commission’s Procedural Rules, 29 C.F.R. Part 2700.

Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman

Michael F. Duffy, Commissioner

Michael G. Young, Commissioner

Robert F. Cohen, Jr., Commissioner

Patrick K. Nakamura, Commissioner

Distribution:

Jim Brummett

Conference Officer

Left Fork Mining Company, Inc.

P.O. Box 405

Arjay, KY 40902

W. Christian Schumann, Esq.

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2220

Arlington, VA 22209-2296

Melanie Garris

Office of Civil Penalty Compliance

MSHA

U.S. Dept. of Labor

1100 Wilson Blvd., 25th Floor

Arlington, VA 22209-3939

Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert J. Lesnick

Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission

601 New Jersey Avenue, N.W., Suite 9500

Washington, D.C. 20001-2021