SECRETARY OF LABOR, v. CONSOL PENNSYLVANIA COAL |
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Docket No. PENN 2005-228 |
BEFORE: Duffy, Chairman; Jordan, Suboleski, and Young, 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. (2000) ("Mine Act"). On August 2, 2005, the Commission received from Consol Pennsylvania Coal Co. ("Consol") a motion made by counsel to reopen a penalty assessment that had 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).
In its motion, Consol states that on November 4, 2004, the Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration ("MSHA") "apparently" issued to the company the proposed penalty assessment at issue. Mot. at 1. The company states, however, that it has no record of receiving the proposed assessment until it obtained a copy on July 15, 2005, though it also states that it "intended to contest the penalties and underlying citations." Id. at 1-2. Although the Secretary states that she does not oppose Consol's request for relief, she notes that MSHA's records include a signed return receipt for the proposed assessment dated November 13, 2004.
We have held that in appropriate circumstances, we possess jurisdiction to reopen uncontested assessments that have become final Commission orders under section 105(a). Jim Walter Res., Inc., 15 FMSHRC 782, 786-89 (May 1993) ("JWR"). In evaluating requests to reopen final section 105(a) orders, the Commission has found guidance in Rule 60(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure under which, for example, a party could be entitled to relief from a final order of the Commission on the basis of inadvertence or mistake. See 29 C.F.R. § 2700.1(b) ("the Commission and its Judges shall be guided so far as practicable by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure"); JWR, 15 FMSHRC at 787. We have also observed that default is a harsh remedy and that, if the defaulting party can make a showing of good cause for a failure to timely respond, the case may be reopened and appropriate proceedings on the merits permitted. See Coal Prep. Servs., Inc., 17 FMSHRC 1529, 1530 (Sep. 1995).
Having reviewed Consol's motion, in the interests of justice, we remand this matter to the Chief Administrative Law Judge for a determination of whether good cause exists for Consol's failure to timely contest the penalty proposal and whether relief from the final order should be granted. If it is determined that such relief is appropriate, 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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Michael F. Duffy, Chairman
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Mary Lu Jordan, Commissioner
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Stanley C. Suboleski, Commissioner
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Michael G. Young, Commissioner
Distribution:
R. Henry Moore, Esq.
Jackson Kelly, PLLC
Gateway Center, Suite 1340
401 Liberty Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
W. Christian Schumann, Esq.
Office of the Solicitor
U.S. Department of Labor
1100 Wilson Blvd., 22nd Floor
Arlington, VA 22209
Chief Administrative Law Judge Robert J. Lesnick
Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission
601 New Jersey Avenue, Suite 9500
Washington, D.C. 20001