1 

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). 

 

December 29, 2023
2

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.

________________________________

Mary Lu Jordan, Chair

__________________________________

William I. Althen, Commissioner

________________________________

Marco M. Rajkovich, Jr., Commissioner

________________________________

Timothy J. Baker, Commissioner
3

Distribution:

Lacee Caitlyn Eakins, Esq.

U.S. Department of Labor

Office of the Solicitor

525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501

Dallas, TX 75202

eakins.lacee.c@dol.gov

W. Tyler Nash, Esq.

U.S. Department of Labor

Office of the Solicitor

525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501

Dallas, TX 75202

nash.williams.t@dol.gov

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

Nelson.April@dol.gov

Emily Toler Scott, Esq.

Counsel for Appellate Litigation

Office of the Solicitor

U.S. Department of Labor

Division of Mine Safety and Health

201 12th Street South, Suite 401

Arlington, VA 22202

scott.emily.t@dol.gov
4

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