FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

1331 PENNSYLVANIA AVE., N.W., SUITE 520N

WASHINGTON, DC 20004-1710

SECRETARY OF LABOR,

  MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH   

  ADMINISTRATION (MSHA)        

 

                        v.

 

SOLVAY CHEMICALS, INC.[1]

 

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Docket No. WEST 2015-342-M

A.C. No. 48-01295-363072

 

Docket No. WEST 2015-343-M

A.C. No. 48-01295-355137

 

 

BEFORE:  Jordan, Chairman; Young, Cohen, and Althen, Commissioners

           

ORDER

 

BY THE COMMISSION:

                                                                                                                                                           

These matters arise under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C.    § 801 et seq. (2012) (“Mine Act”). The Commission has received two motions from the operator seeking to reopen two penalty assessments which had become final orders of the Commission pursuant to section 105(a) of the Mine Act, 30 U.S.C. § 813(a). The Secretary states that he does not oppose the motions.

 

Having reviewed movant’s unopposed motions to reopen, we reopen these matters and remand them to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for further proceedings pursuant to the Mine Act and the Commission’s Procedural Rules, 29 C.F.R. Part 2700. Consistent with Rule 28, the Secretary shall file petitions for assessment of penalty within 45 days of the date of this order. See 29 C.F.R. § 2700.28.

 

 

 

The granting of these motions is not precedential for the consideration of any other motion before the Commission.

 

 

 

/s/ Mary Lu Jordan

Mary Lu Jordan, Chairman

 

 

 

/s/ Michael G. Young

Michael G. Young, Commissioner

 

 

 

/s/ Robert F. Cohen, Jr.

Robert F. Cohen Jr., Commissioner

 

 

 

/s/ William I. Althen

William I. Althen, Commissioner

 

 

 

 

Distribution:

 

Rowdy Heiser, Safety Manager

Solvay Chemicals, Inc.

400 County Road 85

Green River, WY 82935

 

W. Christian Schumann, Esq.

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

201 12th St. South, Suite 401

Arlington, VA 22202-5450

 

Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert J. Lesnick

Federal Mine Safety & Health Review Commission

1331 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Suite 520N

Washington, DC 20004-1710

 

Melanie Garris

Office of Civil Penalty Compliance

Mine Safety and Health Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

201 12th St. South, Suite 401

Arlington, VA 22202-5450

 

 


[1] For the limited purpose of addressing these motions to reopen, we hereby consolidate docket numbers WEST 2015-342-M and WEST 2015-343-M involving similar procedural issues. 29 C.F.R. § 2700.12.