FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
1331 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 520N
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20004-1710
February 22, 2013
SECRETARY OF LABOR, MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) v. COAL RIVER MINING, LLC |
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Docket Nos. WEVA 2012-853 |
BEFORE: Jordan, Chairman; Young and Nakamura, Commissioners
ORDER
BY THE COMMISSION:
These consolidated proceedings arise under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of
1977, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et seq. (2006)(“Mine Act” or “Act”). On December 21, 2012, Coal River
Mining, LLC, (“Coal River”) filed with the Commission a document entitled “Petition to Enforce
‘Law of the Case Doctrine’ and to Set Aside Erroneous Order Lifting Stay and Amended Notice
of Hearing.” Coal River seeks review of a Corrected Order of Assignment issued by Chief
Administrative Law Judge Robert J. Lesnick on November 30, 2012, and of an accompanying
Prehearing Order issued by Administrative Law Judge Margaret A. Miller on that same date.
Coal River also seeks review of Judge Miller’s December 13, 2012, Order Denying Motion to
Stay, Order Lifting Stay and Amended Notice of Hearing. The basis of the petition is that in two
of these three dockets, Judge Lesnick had previously granted the Secretary’s motion to stay
assignment for 180 days.
We have determined that none of these orders are final decisions ending the judge’s jurisdiction over this matter. Section 113(d) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. § 823(d), only allows for review of final decisions. Accordingly, we treat these orders as interlocutory in nature.
Pursuant to Commission Procedural Rule 76, 29 C.F.R. § 2700.76, the Commission may review a judge’s ruling, prior to the judge’s final decision in the case, only if certain conditions are met. First, pursuant to Rule 76(a)(1), either the judge must certify that his or her interlocutory ruling involves a controlling question of law and that immediate review will materially advance the final disposition of the proceeding, or the judge must deny a party’s motion for certification of the interlocutory ruling to the Commission and the party must file with the Commission a petition for interlocutory review within 30 days of the judge’s denial of such motion for certification. Second, under Rule 76(a)(2), a majority of the Commission may grant review upon a determination that the judge’s interlocutory ruling involves a controlling question of law and that immediate review may materially advance the final disposition of the proceeding.
The first condition was not met, because the judge did not certify review on her own accord, and Coal River failed to ask the judge to certify the rulings for interlocutory review. However, even if these requirements were met, we have concluded that review is not warranted because the orders do not involve a controlling question of law and immediate review would not materially advance the final disposition of the case.
For the reasons set forth above, the petition filed by Coal River is denied.
/s/ Mary Lu Jordan
Mary Lu Jordan, Commissioner
/s/ Michael G. Young
Michael G. Young, Commissioner
/s/ Patrick K. Nakamura
Patrick K. Nakamura, Commissioner
Distribution
F. Thomas Rubenstein, Esq.
Ryan Seelke, Esq.
Dinsmore & Shohl, LLP
215 Don Knotts Blvd., Suite 310
Morgantown, WV 26501
W. Christian Schumann, Esq.
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
1100 Wilson Blvd., Room 2220
Arlington, VA 22209-2296
Linda Hrovatic
Conference & Litigation Representative
U.S. Department of Labor, MSHA
100 Bluestone Road
Mt. Hope, WV 25880-1000
Administrative Law Judge Margaret Miller
Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission
Office of Administrative Law Judges
721 119th Street, Suite 443
Denver, CO 80202-5268