FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGES
7 PARKWAY CENTER, SUITE 290
875 GREENTREE ROAD
PITTSBURGH, PA 15220
TELEPHONE: 412-920-7240 / FAX: 412-928-8689
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AUSTIN POWDER COMPANY, Contestant
v.
SECRETARY OF LABOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA), Respondent
SECRETARY OF LABOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA), Petitioner
v.
AUSTIN POWDER COMPANY, Respondent |
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CONTEST PROCEEDING
Docket No. PENN 2012-116-R Citation No. 7040091;01/20/2012
River Hill Coal Co., Inc. Mine ID 36-00884 A2708
CIVIL PENALTY PROCEEDING
Docket No. PENN 2012-172 A.C. No. 36-00884-281523 E24
Mine: River Hill Coal Co., Inc.
Docket No. PENN 2012-77 A.C. No. 36-09312-273298
Mine: Allegheny Strips
Docket No. CENT 2013-213 A.C. No. 23-02262-309819
Mine: Hume #1
Docket No. KENT 2013-274 A.C. No. 15-19451-307263 E24
Mine: S-9 Findlay Branch
Docket No. KENT 2012-1030 A.C. No. 15-17834-287578 E24
Mine: F-9 Prater Branch
Docket No. SE 2012-128 A.C. No. 01-03375-273206
Mine: Johnson Mine
Docket No. VA 2012-542 A.C. No. 44-07133-293119
Mine: No. 26 Strip
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AMENDED ORDER TO CONSOLIDATE[1]
Before: Judge Andrews
On August 15, 2014, the Secretary requested that all pending matters alleging violations of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1997 (Mine Act) against Austin Powder Company be consolidated for hearing and decision. The Secretary submits it is necessary to determine whether Austin Powder Company and its subsidiaries are unitary operators. Respondent objects to consolidation, arguing that the unitary operator issue must be determined on a case-by-case basis. However, Respondent previously moved for the above-cited proceedings to be stayed pending the outcome of PENN 2012-172, thus underscoring the common relationship in the issues presented in PENN 2012-172 and the other dockets. Indeed, Respondent states in its motions that “the issues will be identical to those being litigated in PENN 2012-172.”
Pursuant to 29 C.F.R. §2700.12, the undersigned may consolidate dockets for “proceedings that involve similar issues.” All eight dockets include the issue of whether Austin Powder Company and its subsidiaries constitute a unitary operator. Therefore, in the interest of judicial economy, the above captioned dockets are hereby CONSOLIDATED for hearing and decision. The parties are also hereby ORDERED to report any other Austin Powder Co. dockets that should also be consolidated due to the similar unitary operator issue.
All of the above-captioned dockets have been assigned to the undersigned. When filing additional submissions, parties must reference the undersigned and the lead docket, PENN 2012-172.
/s/ Kenneth R. Andrews
Kenneth R. Andrews
Administrative Law Judge
Distribution: (U.S. First Class Mail)
Stephen Turrow, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 1100 Wilson Blvd., 22nd Floor, Arlington, VA 22209
Anthony M. Berry, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 211 7th Avenue North, Suite 420, Nashville, TN 37219
Kimberly M. Engel, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, The Curtis Center, Suite 630E, 170 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Elizabeth L. Friary, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 211 7th Avenue North, Suite 420, Nashville, TN 37219
Virginia E. Fritchey, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 525 Griffin St., Suite 501, Dallas, TX 75202
Thomas A. Grooms, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 618 Church Street, Suite 230, Nashville, TN 37219
Dominique Gutierrez, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 211 7th Avenue North, Suite 420, Nashville, TN 37219
C. Renita Hollins, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, 211 7th Avenue North, Suite 420, Nashville, TN 37219
Carol Liang, Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 216, Denver, CO 80204
Jennifer Y. Pao, Esq., Office of the Solicitor, U.S. Department of Labor, The Curtis Center, Suite 630E, 170 S. Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106
David A. Steffey, CLR, MSHA, U.S. Department of Labor, P.O. Box 560, Norton, VA 24273
Adele L. Abrams, Esq., CMSP, Law Office of Adele Abrams, P.C., 4740 Corridor Place, Suite D, Beltsville, MD 20705
David J. Hardy, Esq., Hardy Pence, PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 701, P.O. Box 2548, Charleston, WV 25329
James (Jim) P. McHugh, Hardy Pence, PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 701, P.O. Box 2548, Charleston, WV 25329
Christopher D. Pence, Esq., Hardy Pence, PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 701, P.O. Box 2548, Charleston, WV 25329
Eric L. Silkwood, Esq., Hardy Pence, PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 701, P.O. Box 2548, Charleston, WV 25329
Wm. Scott Wickline, Esq., Hardy Pence, PLLC, 500 Lee Street East, Suite 701, P.O. Box 2548, Charleston, WV 25329
/nsc
[1] A.C. No. 36-00884-281532 has been amended to A.C. No. 36-00884-281523. A.C. No. 36-0932-373298 has been amended to A.C. No. 36-09312-273298. Docket No. KENT 2012-274 has been amended to Docket No. KENT 2013-274.