Federal Agency Decisions
Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), and environmental appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board, each with a plain-English summary, the standards it cites, and whether it counts as precedent. More agencies are coming.
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VP-5 Mining Company
Imminent-danger orders affirmed and citations vacated
MSHA issued two imminent-danger orders and two citations after finding methane readings in the gob of VP-5 Mining Company's longwall mine. The Commission affirmed the imminent-danger findings but reversed the judge's conclusion that VP-5 violated its ventilation plan. It vacated both citations…
Zeigler Coal Company
Abandoned-panel citation vacated
MSHA cited Zeigler Coal Company for allegedly failing to ventilate an abandoned panel at the Murdock Mine under 30 C.F.R. § 75.329-1(a). Judge George A. Koutras found that the standard applied only to abandoned areas already in existence by December 30, 1970, while this panel was developed in 1987…
Local Union 2333, District 29, United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) v. Ranger Fuel Corporation
Compensation award affirmed and interest modified
The United Mine Workers sought compensation for miners idled after MSHA issued an imminent-danger withdrawal order at Ranger Fuel's underground coal mine. The Commission held that Ranger could not challenge the validity of the uncontested withdrawal order in the later compensation case, and that…
Ranger Fuel Corporation
Compensation awarded after remand
The United Mine Workers sought compensation for miners idled at Ranger Fuel Corporation's Beckley No. 2 Mine after an imminent-danger withdrawal order. On remand, Judge Gary Melick found that the withdrawal order was final because Ranger did not contest it within the statutory period. He also found…
Christopher Coal Company
$6,500 penalty affirmed
Christopher Coal Company appealed an Administrative Law Judge decision assessing a $6,500 civil penalty for violating 30 C.F.R. § 75.329 at its Osage No. 3 Mine. The Commission reviewed the record and concluded that the company had not shown a reason to disturb the judge’s findings, legal…
What these documents are
- The agencies: Workplace-safety cases from the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC), mine-safety cases from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission (FMSHRC), and environmental permit and penalty appeals from the EPA's Environmental Appeals Board (EAB). Each decision page names its agency.
- Commission and Board decisions: Rulings by the agency's highest review level (the Commission at OSHRC and FMSHRC, the Environmental Appeals Board at EPA). These are citable as precedent, though a decision may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance.
- ALJ decisions: Rulings by the agency's Administrative Law Judges after a hearing. When no Commissioner directs review, an ALJ decision becomes a final order that binds the parties in that case but is not binding precedent: under 29 U.S.C. § 661(j) at OSHRC, and after the 40-day window of 30 U.S.C. § 823(d)(1) at FMSHRC.
- Why finality matters: Every page here says which kind of decision you are reading, so you know whether it is precedent you can cite or a final order that only shows how one judge ruled on one set of facts.
- Where they come from: Every page links the official public release from the deciding agency, and the full text on the page is that release. The plain-English summaries are written by Ezel.