Plateau Mining Corporation (Commission decision, July 15, 2008)

Plain-English summary

An Administrative Law Judge affirmed a ventilation-system citation against Plateau Mining and assessed a $25,000 penalty. The Commission later divided evenly, which left the Judge's decision standing. The Tenth Circuit reversed because substantial evidence did not show that Plateau had notice its ventilation system was performing inadequately. After the court returned the case, the Commission vacated the citation and penalty.

Decision snapshot

• Cited standard: 30 C.F.R. § 75.334(b)(1)
• Outcome: The citation and $25,000 penalty were vacated in accordance with the Tenth Circuit's decision.
• Key point: The ventilation violation could not stand without substantial evidence that the operator had notice the system was performing inadequately.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

FMSHRC

FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW

SUITE 9500

WASHINGTON, DC 20001

July 15, 2008

SECRETARY OF LABOR,

MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH

ADMINISTRATION (MSHA)

v.

PLATEAU MINING CORPORATION

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Docket No. WEST 2002-207

WEST 2002-278

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

ORDER

BY THE COMMISSION:

These civil penalty proceedings arise under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et seq. (2000) (“Mine Act”). The Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration issued Citation No. 7143395 alleging a violation of 30 C.F.R. § 75.334(b)(1) to Plateau Mining Corporation (“Plateau”). Administrative Law Judge Richard Manning affirmed the citation and assessed a civil penalty of $25,000 for the violation. 25 FMSHRC 738, 763 (Dec. 2003) (ALJ). Plateau filed a petition for discretionary review, challenging the judge’s determination, which the Commission granted. On review, Commissioners were evenly divided regarding whether Plateau violated section 75.334(b)(1). 28 FMSHRC 501, 510 (Aug. 2006). The effect of the split decision was to allow the judge’s affirmation of Citation No. 7143395 and assessment of penalty to stand. Id. (citations omitted).

In Plateau Mining Corp. v. FMSHRC, 519 F.3d 1176 (10th Cir. 2008), the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the judge’s decision. The court determined that substantial evidence did not support the judge’s finding that Plateau was on notice that its ventilation system was performing inadequately. Id. at 1197. On May 9, 2008, the court issued its mandate in this matter, returning the case to the Commission’s jurisdiction.

Accordingly, consistent with the decision of the Tenth Circuit, we hereby vacate Citation No. 7143395 and the penalty assessed by the judge.

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Michael F. Duffy, Chairman

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Mary Lu Jordan, Commissioner

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Michael G. Young, Commissioner

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Robert F. Cohen, Jr., Commissioner

Distribution:

R. Henry Moore, Esq.

Jackson Kelly, PLLC

Three Gateway Center, Suite 1340,

401 Liberty Avenue

Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Karen L. Johnston, Esq.

Jackson Kelly PLLC

1099 18th Street, Suite 2150

Denver, CO 80202

Jerry Feingold, Esq.

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

1100 Wilson Blvd., 22nd Floor West

Arlington, VA 22209-2247

Judge Richard Manning

Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission

1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 280

Denver, CO 80204-3582