Latest FMSHRC News
The President has designated Commissioner Patrick Nakamura to be Acting Chairman of the Commission.
The Commission terms of Mary Lu Jordan and Michael Young expired as of midnight on August 30. Pending action on the vacancies, Mary Lu and Mike will serve the Commission as Counsels to the remaining Commissioners and will work on special projects. Because the Commission has a quorum of three Commissioners remaining, the Commissioners will continue to issue decisions in pending review cases.
Instructions for the electronic filing of documents through the Commission's electronic case management system (e-CMS) are available under GUIDES on the Commission's homepage.
Read MoreEffective Monday, May 12, 2014, the Commission will accept electronic filing of documents through the Commission’s electronic case management system (e-CMS). Parties may access the e-CMS for registration and filing of documents through the Commission’s homepage by selecting “Click here to file a document electronically” on the E-FILING button.
Read MoreToday the Commission published in the Federal Register the attached extension of comment period.
The Commission published an interim rule, entitled, “Procedural Rules to Permit Parties to File and Serve Documents Electronically,” in the Federal Register on December 23, 2013 (78 Fed. Reg. 77354), and a correction to the interim rule on January 17, 2014 (79 Fed. Reg. 3104). The interim rule became effective on January 22, 2014.
The Commission’s electronic case management system (e-CMS), which allows parties to file documents electronically through a portal which may be accessed on the Commission’s website, is being implemented in phases this spring.
The Commission has extended the comment period on the interim rule from April 22 to July 31, 2014, so that parties may include in their comments any experiences they have had using the e-CMS.
On December 23, 2013, the Commission published in the Federal Register an Interim Rule with Request for Comments. The interim rule sets forth changes to the Commission’s procedural rules that permit parties to file and serve documents electronically. The interim rule took effect on January 22, 2014, so that the rule changes would be in place when the Commission’s electronic case management system (e-CMS) becomes available. The Commission is implementing the electronic filing process for the e-CMS in stages. It is expected that efiling will be available for the public in late April or early May 2014. At that time instructions for its use will be posted.
Read MoreThe Commission is requesting a budget of $17,061,000 for FY 2015 to support the fulltime equivalent (FTE) of 79 staff members. This budget level is $638,000 and 3 FTE above the FY 2014 enacted level. This request also reflects a one-percent pay increase for civilian employees, an adjustment to the rent costs for the agency headquarters, and funding for three additional counsels in the Office of the Chairman and Commissioners.
Read MoreThe Commission has corrected an interim rule that appeared in the Federal Register of December 23, 2013 (78 FR 77354). The correction adds a conforming change indicating that only original documents need to be filed pursuant to § 2700.75.
Read MoreOn December 23, 2013, the Commission published in the Federal Register an Interim Rule with Request for Comments. The interim rule sets forth changes to the Commission’s procedural rules that permit parties to file and serve documents electronically. The interim rule will take effect on January 22, 2014, so that the rule changes will be in place when the Commission’s electronic case management system (e-CMS) goes live. The Commission will accept comments on the rule changes until April 22, 2014. The deadline for comments will be extended if necessary. Given these time-frames, parties should be able to comment on the rules after the parties have had experience using e-CMS.
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