FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION
1331 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW, SUITE 520N
WASHINGTON, DC 20004-1710
SECRETARY OF LABOR :
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH :
ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) :
:
v. : Docket No. CENT 2023-0120
:
MORTON SALT, INC. :
BEFORE: Jordan, Chair; Althen, Rajkovich, and Baker, 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. (2018). On December 18, 2023, a Commission Administrative Law Judge issued an order granting the Secretary’s motion for certification for interlocutory review and denying her motion to cancel the hearing scheduled for January 9-11, 2024.
Commission Procedural Rule 76(a) provides that interlocutory review is a matter of sound discretion of the Commission, and that the Commission may grant interlocutory review upon a determination that the Judge’s interlocutory ruling involves a controlling question of law and immediate review will materially advance the final disposition of the proceeding. 29 C.F.R. § 2700.76(a).
Upon consideration by the Commission, the Judge’s December 18, 2023, certification for interlocutory review is accepted. The Commission hereby grants interlocutory review of the following issue: whether the Commission has authority to review the Secretary’s decision to issue a notice of pattern of violations. The hearing scheduled for January 9-11, 2024, is hereby suspended pending further order by the Commission. Both parties shall file opening briefs with the Commission within 20 days of the date of this order, and response briefs shall be filed within 10 days after service of the opening briefs.
/s/ Mary Lu Jordan
Mary Lu Jordan, Chair
/s/ William I. Althen
William I. Althen, Commissioner
/s/ Marco M. Rajkovich, Jr.
Marco M. Rajkovich, Jr., Commissioner
/s/ Timothy J. Baker
Timothy J. Baker, Commissioner
Distribution:
Lacee Caitlyn Eakins, Esq.
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Solicitor
525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501
Dallas, TX 75202
W. Tyler Nash, Esq.
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Solicitor
525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501
Dallas, TX 75202
Donna Vetrano Pryor, Esq.
Husch Blackwell LLP
1801 Wewatta Street, Suite 1000
Denver, CO 80202
donna.pryor@huschblackwell.com
R. Brian Hendrix, Esq.
Husch Blackwell LLP
1801 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20006
brian.hendrix@huschblackwell.com
April Nelson, Esq.
Associate Solicitor
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
Division of Mine Safety and Health
201 12th Street South, Suite 401
Arlington, VA 22202
Emily Toler Scott, Esq.
Counsel for Appellate Litigation
U.S. Department of Labor
Division of Mine Safety and Health
201 12th Street South, Suite 401
Arlington, VA 22202
Melanie
Garris
USDOL/MSHA, OAASEI/CPCO
201 12th Street South, Suite 401
Arlington, VA 22202
Garris.Melanie@DOL.GOV
Administrative Law
Judge David P. Simonton
Federal Mine Safety Health Review Commission
721 19th Street, Suite 443
Denver, CO 80202-2500
DSimonton@fmshrc.gov
Chief
Administrative Law Judge Glynn F. Voisin
Federal Mine Safety Health Review Commission
Office
of the Chief Administrative Law Judge
1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 520N
Washington, DC 20004-1710
GVoisin@fmshrc.gov