Walter Kuhl and Son (ALJ decision, November 1, 1994)

Walter Kuhl and Son (FMSHRC PENN 93-449-M): Settlement approved and penalty reduced to $175

Decision type
ALJ decision
Docket
PENN 93-449-M
Decided
November 1, 1994
Presiding judge
Outcome
Settled
Precedential status
Final order, not precedent
Checked against source
2026-08-13

Apply this to your situation

This order from 1994 bound only the parties to this case; it isn't precedent. Ask about your situation and see what the current MSHA standards and Commission precedent say, with citations.

Currency note: this decision dates from 1994
The MSHA standards may have been amended, penalty amounts have been adjusted, and later Commission or court decisions may have changed the analysis since then. Treat this page as historical context, not current compliance advice. Verify the current standard before relying on any specific rule, threshold, or penalty mentioned here.
Final ALJ decision, not Commission precedent
This decision became final under the 40-day rule in 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) because no later Commission review appears in the official index. It binds the parties but is not Commission precedent. The full text below is from the official FMSHRC release.
About this page: The plain-English summary and decision snapshot below were written by Ezel based on the official FMSHRC release. The full text is the agency's own release.
Read the official release (fmshrc.gov)

Plain-English summary

Walter Kuhl and Son faced a civil penalty in a Mine Act proceeding. The parties proposed reducing the penalty from $364 to $175. Judge Avram Weisberger found the settlement appropriate under the statutory penalty criteria, approved it, and ordered payment within 30 days.

Decision snapshot

  • Governing provisions: 30 U.S.C. § 801; 30 U.S.C. § 815(d); 30 U.S.C. § 820(i)
  • Outcome: The settlement was approved, and the civil penalty was reduced from $364 to $175.
  • Key point: The judge approved the negotiated penalty after reviewing the parties' representations and documentation.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

CCASE:
SOL (MSHA) V. WALTER KUHL
DDATE:
19941101
TTEXT:


Page 2

~2231

FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES
2 SKYLINE, 10th FLOOR
5203 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA 22041

SECRETARY OF LABOR,
: CIVIL PENALTY PROCEEDING
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH :
ADMINISTRATION (MSHA), : Docket No. PENN 93-449-M Petitioner : A.C. No. 36-07715-05501
v. :
: Kuhl Sand & Gravel Pit
WALTER KUHL AND SON,
:
Respondent :

DECISION APPROVING SETTLEMENT

Before: Judge Weisberger

This case is before me upon a petition for assessment of civil penalty under Section 105(d) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (the Act). Petitioner has filed a Motion to Approve a settlement agreement and to dismiss the case. A reduction in penalty from $364 to $175 is proposed. I have considered the representations and documentation submitted in these cases, and I conclude that the proffered settlement is appropriate under the criteria set forth in Section 110(i) of the Act.

WHEREFORE, the Motion for Approval of Settlement is GRANTED, and it is ORDERED that Respondent pay a penalty of $175 within 30 days of this Order.

Avram Weisberger
Administrative Law Judge

Distribution:

Gayle M. Green, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 3535 Market Street, Room 14480-Gateway Building, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Mr. Walter Kuhl, Kuhl Sand and Gravel, 9335 Peck Road, Erie, PA 16510

/ml

What applies to your situation today?

This order bound one employer. Ezel checks the current MSHA standards and Commission precedent against your facts, with citations.

Opens in Ezel Pro.

  • Checks the law as it stands today, not only this page
  • Cites every source it relies on, so you can verify it
  • Chat, drafting and research in one workspace