FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW
SUITE 9500
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
October 29, 2009
SECRETARY OF LABOR, MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) v. CESSFORD CONSTRUCTION COMPANY |
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BEFORE: Jordan, Chairman; Duffy, Young, and Cohen, 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) (“Mine Act”). On August 27, 2009, the Commission received from Cessford Construction Company (“Cessford”) a letter seeking to reopen a penalty assessment that may have become a final order of the Commission pursuant to section 105(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C.§ 815(a).
Under section 105(a) of the Mine Act, an operator who wishes to contest a proposed penalty must notify the Secretary of Labor no later than 30 days after receiving the proposed penalty assessment. If the operator fails to notify the Secretary, the proposed penalty assessment is deemed a final order of the Commission. 30 U.S.C. § 815(a).
The Secretary submits that upon reviewing the records in this proceeding, she has discovered that the proposed penalty was timely contested and is the subject of an active civil penalty proceeding (Docket No. CENT 2009-339-M). In that proceeding, the Secretary has filed a penalty petition, and the operator has filed an answer.
Having reviewed Cessford’s request and the Secretary’s response, we find the request to reopen to be moot. Cessford has properly contested the proposed penalty assessment and therefore it did not become a final order of the Commission. This case shall proceed pursuant to the Mine Act and the Commission’s Procedural Rules, 29 C.F.R. Part 2700.
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Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman
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Michael F. Duffy, Commissioner
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Michael G. Young, Commissioner
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Robert F. Cohen, Jr., Commissioner
Distribution
Donald W. Smith, Safety Director
Cessford Construction Company
3808 Old Highway 61
Burlington, IA 52601
W. Christian Schumann, Esq.
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2220
Arlington, VA 22209-2296
Myra James, Chief
Office of Civil Penalty Compliance, MSHA
U.S. Dept. of Labor
1100 Wilson Blvd., 25th Floor
Arlington, VA 22209-3939