FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
601 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, NW
SUITE 9500
WASHINGTON, DC 20001
March 23, 2011
SECRETARY OF LABOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA), v. CONSHOR MINING, LLC |
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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 Unpublished Order at 2-3 (Jan. 19, 2012). On February 15, 2012, we issued an order granting review of the Judge’s order of November 28, 2011, with regard to that issue and ordered briefing.
On March 6, 2012, the Commission received from the Secretary of Labor a motion to vacate the Commission’s February 15 order. As grounds for the motion, the Secretary states that she no longer seeks assessment of the three violations at issue as “flagrant” violations. The Secretary submits that, consequently, the issue directed for review by the Commission is moot. The Commission has received no opposition from Conshor Mining, LLC.
Upon consideration of the Secretary’s motion, it is granted. We hereby vacate our February 15 order granting review. This case is remanded to Judge Feldman for further proceedings pursuant to the Mine Act and the Commission’s Procedural Rules, 29 C.F.R. Part 2700.
/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
Jeffrey K. Phillips, Esq.
Steptoe & Jhonson, PLLC
1010 Monarch Street, Suite 250
Lexington, KY 40513
Edward Waldman, Esq.
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2220
Arlington, VA 22209-2296
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
601 New Jersey Avenue, N. W., Suite 9500
Washington, D.C. 20001-2021