FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES
601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW, SUITE 9500
WASHINGTON, DC 20001-2021
TELEPHONE: 202-434-9958 / FAX: 202-434-9949
February 28, 2012
SECRETARY OF LABOR, MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA), Petitioner
v.
THE AMERICAN COAL COMPANY, Respondent |
: : : : : : : : : : |
CIVIL PENALTY PROCEEDING
Docket No. LAKE 2009-35 A.C. No. 11-02752-164722
Mine: Galatia Mine |
Appearances: Travis W. Gosselin, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, Chicago, Illinois, for Petitioner
Jason W. Hardin, Esq., and Mark E. Kittrell, Esq., Salt Lake City, Utah, for Respondent
Before: Judge McCarthy
STAY ORDER
This case is before me on a petition for assessment of civil penalties filed by the Secretary of Labor (“Secretary”), acting through the Mine Safety and Health Administration (“MSHA”), against American Coal Company, Inc. (“American Coal” or “Respondent”), pursuant to sections 105 and 110 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. §§ 815 and 820 (the “Mine Act”).
This case involves two section 104(d)(2) orders issued to Respondent, American Coal Company ("American Coal"), for alleged violations of 30 C.F.R. 75.400 concerning float coal dust and loose coal accumulations. Both orders were assessed as “repeated” “flagrant” penalties. A hearing was held on August 23-24, 2011 in Evansville, Indiana. The parties introduced testimony and documentary evidence, and witnesses were sequestered. On October 19, 2011, the parties filed a Joint Motion for Extension of Time to File Post-Trial Briefs. I granted an extension of the briefing period until November 18, 2011. Thereafter, Reply Briefs were filed by the parties on December 2, 2011.
Recently, during the drafting of my decision, the Commission granted interlocutory review on the issue of whether a violation not deemed attributable to reckless conduct may be deemed flagrant under 30 U.S.C. § 820(b)(2) based on the operator’s history of prior similar violations. See Secretary of Labor v. Conshur Mining, LLC, Docket Nos. KENT 2008-562 and KENT 2008-762, Order dated February 15, 2012 (Attachment A). The instant matter presents the same issue of first impression, i.e., what is meant by a “repeated” “flagrant” violation. Accordingly, I conclude that it is not an efficient use of judicial resources to decide this matter at this time. Rather, I deem it prudent to stay this matter for six months or until the Commission decides Conshur Mining, whichever occurs sooner. At that time, I will revisit the stay or ask the parties to address whether a supplemental hearing or additional briefing is warranted in light of any Commission decision in Conshur Mining.
/s/ Thomas P. McCarthy
Thomas P. McCarthy
Administrative Law Judge
Distribution: (E-Mail and Certified Mail)
Travis W. Gosselin, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 230 South Dearborn Street, Room 844, Chicago, Illinois, 60604
Jason W. Hardin, Esq., and Mark E. Kittrell, Esq., Fabian & Clendenin, 215 South State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84111
Attachment A
FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW
SUITE 9500
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
February 15, 2012
SECRETARY OF LABOR, MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA),
v.
CONSHOR MINING, LLCĀ |
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Docket No. KENT 2008-562 Docket No. KENT 2008-782 |
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). On January 19, 2012, Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman issued a Certification of Interlocutory Ruling pursuant to Commission Procedural Rule 76, 29 C.F.R. § 2700.76(a)(1)(i). In his order, the judge certified for interlocutory review by the Commission his ruling in his Order of November 28, 2011, that a violation that is not attributable to reckless conduct may not be deemed flagrant under 30 U.S.C. § 820(b)(2) based on the operator’s history of prior similar violations. Unpublished Order at 2-3 (Jan. 19, 2012).
Commission Rule 76(a) provides that interlocutory review is a matter of sound discretion of the Commission, and that the Commission may grant interlocutory review upon a determination that the judge’s interlocutory ruling involves a controlling question of law and immediate review will materially advance the final disposition of the proceeding. 29 C.F.R.
§ 2700.76(a).
Upon consideration of the judge’s certification, we hereby grant review of the judge’s order of November 28, 2011, with regard to the issue of whether a violation not deemed attributable to reckless conduct may be deemed flagrant under 30 U.S.C. § 820(b)(2) based on the operator’s history of prior similar violations. Conshor Mining, LLC and the Secretary of Labor are hereby ordered to file initial briefs on or before 30 days from the date of this order. Response briefs by both parties will be due 30 days following service of the last initial brief. Initial briefs shall not exceed 35 pages; response briefs shall not exceed 25 pages. Reply briefs will not be filed.
/s/ Mary Lu Jordan
Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman
/s/ Michael F. Duffy
Michael F. Duffy, Commissioner
/s/Michael G. Young
Michael G. Young, Commissioner
/s/ Robert F. Cohen, Jr.
Robert F. Cohen, Jr., Commissioner
/s/ Patrick K. Nakamura
Patrick K. Nakamura, Commissioner
Distribution
Jonathan R. Ellis, Esq.
Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC
Eighth Floor, Bank One Center
P.O. Box 1588
Charleston, WV 25326-1588
Jeffrey K. Phillips, Esq.
Steptoe & Johnson, PLLC
1010 Monarch Street, Suite 250
Lexington, KY 40591-0810
Christian P. Barber, Esq.
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
618 Church Street, Suite 230
Nashville, TN 37219-2456
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
Administrative Law Judge Jerold Feldman
Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission
Office of Administrative Law Judges
601 New Jersey Avenue, N. W., Suite 9500
Washington, D.C. 20001-2021