[DOCID: f:se2001108.wais] SHIRLEY LAND DEVELOPMENT INC. August 22, 2001 SE 2001-108-M FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION 1730 K STREET NW, 6TH FLOOR WASHINGTON, D.C. 20006 August 22, 2001 SECRETARY OF LABOR, : MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH : ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) : : v. : Docket No. SE 2001-108-M : SHIRLEY LAND DEVELOPMENT INC. : BEFORE: Verheggen, Chairman; Jordan, Riley, and Beatty, Commissioners ORDER BY: Jordan and Beatty, Commissioners This matter arises under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, 30 U.S.C. § 801 et seq. (1994) ("Mine Act"). On April 20, 2001, the Commission received from Shirley Land Development Inc. ("Shirley Land") a request 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 has 30 days following receipt of the Secretary of Labor's proposed penalty assessment within which to notify the Secretary that it wishes to contest the proposed penalty. 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 this case, Shirley Land did not timely submit its request for a hearing to the Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration ("MSHA"). See 29 C.F.R. § 2700.26. In its motion submitted by Patricia R. Shirley, company president, it states that it never received notice of the proposed penalty assessment from MSHA. Mot. The operator was issued Citation Nos. 6067035 and 6067036, dated June 15, 2000, for violations of 30 C.F.R. § 56.14107(a). Id., attachs. Shirley Land asserts that, having abated the alleged violations and having received no notice of proposed penalties, it concluded that no penalties had resulted from the citations. Mot. It contends that it was unaware of any penalties until it received a letter on April 14, 2001, from MSHA informing it that the proposed penalties associated with the cited violations had become final and that it was delinquent in payment of the penalties. Id., attachs. Shirley Land requests that the Commission reopen this matter. Mot. We have held that, in appropriate circumstances, we possess jurisdiction to reopen uncontested assessments that have become final under section 105(a). Jim Walter Res., Inc., 15 FMSHRC 782, 786-89 (May 1993) ("JWR"); Rocky Hollow Coal Co., 16 FMSHRC 1931, 1932 (Sept. 1994). We have also observed that default is a harsh remedy and that, if the defaulting party can make a showing of adequate or good cause for the 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 (Sept. 1995). In reopening final orders, the Commission has found guidance in, and has applied "so far as practicable," Fed. R. Civ. P. 60(b). 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. In accordance with Rule 60(b)(1), we previously have afforded a party relief from a final order of the Commission on the basis of inadvertence or mistake. See Gen. Chem. Corp., 18 FMSHRC 704, 705 (May 1996); Kinross DeLamar Mining Co., 18 FMSHRC 1590, 1591-92 (Sept. 1996); Stillwater Mining Co., 19 FMSHRC 1021, 1022-23 (June 1997). On the basis of the present record, we are unable to evaluate the merits of Shirley Land's position. In the interest of justice, we remand the matter for assignment to a judge to determine whether relief from the final order is appropriate. See Idaho Minerals, 22 FMSHRC 1301, 1301-03 (Nov. 2000) (remanding where operator alleged it did not receive proposed penalty assessment); Bauman Landscape, Inc., 22 FMSHRC 289, 289-90 (Mar. 2000) (same). If the judge determines 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. Mary Lu Jordan, Commissioner Robert H. Beatty, Jr., Commissioner Chairman Verheggen and Commissioner Riley, concurring in result: We would grant the operator's request for relief here, because the Secretary does not oppose the motion for relief, the operator has offered a sufficient explanation for its failure to timely respond, and no other circumstances exist that would render such a grant problematic. However, in order to avoid the effect of an evenly divided decision, we join in remanding the case to allow the judge to consider whether the operator has met the criteria for relief under Rule 60(b). See Pa. Elec. Co., 12 FMSHRC 1562, 1563-65 (Aug. 1990), aff'd on other grounds, 969 F.2d 1501 (3d Cir. 1992) (providing that the effect of a split Commission decision is to leave standing disposition from which appeal has been sought). Theodore F. Verheggen, Chairman James C. Riley, Commissioner Distribution Patricia R. Shirley, President Shirley Land Development, Inc. 1301 35th Avenue West Bradenton, FL 34205 W. Christian Schumann, Esq. Office of the Solicitor U.S. Department of Labor 4015 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400 Arlington, VA 22203 Chief Administrative Law Judge David F. Barbour Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission 1730 K Street, N.W., Suite 600 Washington, D.C. 20006