**FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEWCOMMISSION**

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVELAW JUDGES

721 19th ST.SUITE 443

DENVER, CO 80202-2500

TELEPHONE: 303-844-5266/ FAX: 303-844-5268

 

 
| MORTON SALT, INC.,

             Contestant,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

             v.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SECRETARY OF LABOR,

MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH

ADMINISTRATION, (MSHA),

             Respondent.                                     |   |   | CONTEST PROCEEDINGS

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0069

POV Notice 9679401; 12/01/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0070

Order No. 9673196; 12/12/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0071

Order No. 9674873; 12/07/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0072

Order No. 9674876; 12/12/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0073

Order No. 9674877; 12/12/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0074

Order No. 9674883; 12/14/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0075

Order No. 9674887; 12/14/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0076

Order No. 9674888; 12/20/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0077

Order No. 9674891; 12/20/2022

 

Docket No. CENT 2023-0078

Order No. 9674895; 12/28/2022

 

 

Mine: Weeks Island Mine and  Mill

Mine ID: 16-00970 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|--------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

 

**ORDER GRANTINGIN PART SECRETARY OF LABOR’S**

**MOTION TODISMISS CONTEST TO POV NOTICE**

** **

**ORDER OFDISMISSAL**

** **

** **

Before: Judge Simonton

 

These cases are before me upon noticesof contest filed by Morton Salt Inc. (“Morton”) under Section 105(d) of theFederal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 (“Mine Act”), 30 U.S.C. § 801 etseq. Docket No. CENT 2023-0069 was assigned by the Commission’s docket office toa contest of a Pattern of Violations (POV) Notice, which was issued by MSHA on December1, 2022.[1] Notably, however,Morton did not contest the POV Notice itself. Instead, it contested nine Section104(e) withdrawal orders issued following the POV Notice and simply referencedthe POV Notice, No. 9679401, in each of those notices of contest.[2]*See, e.g.*, Notice of Contest, CENT 2023-0070. Accordingly, it appearsthat Docket No. CENT 2023-0069 may have been created in error.

 

On January 24, 2023, the Secretary movedto dismiss CENT 2023-0069 and to strike any reference to Morton’s contest ofthe POV Notice in each 104(e) Notice of Contest filed in Docket Nos. CENT2023-0070, CENT 2023-0071, CENT 2023-0072, CENT 2023-0073, CENT 2023-0074, CENT2023-0075, CENT 2023-0076, CENT 2023-0077, and CENT 2023-0078. The Secretaryargues that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission lacksjurisdiction over a contest to a POV Notice pursuant to the Commission’sholding in *Pocahontas Coal Co., LLC*, 38 FMSHRC 176 (Feb. 2016). Sec’y ofLabor’s Mot. to Dismiss Contest to POV Notice at 2. According to the Secretary,Morton cannot establish the Commission’s jurisdiction over its contest of thePOV Notice. *Id.* at 4. 

 

Morton filed a Statement in Oppositionto the Secretary’s Motion to Dismiss on February 3, 2023. In its statement, Mortonconfirms that it “did not file a Notice of Contest to the POV Notice; it didnot directly challenge or contest the POV notice.” Contestant’s Statement inOpp’n to Sec’y of Labor’s Mot. to Dismiss Contest to POV Notice at 2. Morton arguesthat the POV notice, since it is joined by the nine Section 104(e) withdrawalorders MSHA issued after the POV Notice, does not stand alone. *Id**.*Mortonasserts that because it is indirectly challenging the POV Notice by contestingthe withdrawal orders, the court does not need to dismiss Docket No. CENT 2023-0069but should instead consolidate it with the contests of the nine Section 104(e)withdrawal orders and issue an order confirming that Morton seeks review of thePOV Notice during the contest of those orders. *Id.* at 3-5. 

 

In *Pocahontas Coal Co., LLC*,the Commission held that “the language of section 105(d) does not give theCommission authority to review a direct challenge to a POV notice.” 38 FMSHRC176 at 182. However, an operator may obtain Commission review of a POV notice duringa contest of a related withdrawal order issued under Section 104(e). *Id.*at184. Accordingly, Morton will be able to challenge the validity of the POV Noticeduring the contest proceedings for the nine dockets challenging the Section104(e) withdrawal orders. I thus see no legitimate reason to grant the portionof the Secretary’s motion that requests the court strike any reference to Morton’scontest of the POV Notice in the Notices of Contest in Docket Nos. CENT2023-0070 through CENT 2023-0078. I do find, however, that dismissal of DocketNo. CENT 2023-0069 is appropriate. Both parties recognize that the Commissiondoes not have jurisdiction to review a POV notice standing alone, and, procedurally,it stands alone in Docket No. CENT 2023-0069. It is properly challenged indirectlyin Docket Nos. CENT 2023-0070 through CENT 2023-0078 and I will hear argumentsabout its validity in those proceedings. 

 

Accordingly, the Secretary’s Motionto Dismiss Contest to POV Notice is hereby **GRANTED IN PART**. It is **ORDERED**that Docket No. CENT 2023-0069 is **DISMISSED**.

 

 

 

 

/s/David P. Simonton

David P. Simonton

Administrative Law Judge

 

 

 

 

 

Distribution: (Electronic and Certified Mail)

 

Brian Hendrix, Husch Blackwell LLP, 1801 PennsylvaniaAvenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20006, brian.hendrix@huschblackwell.com

 

Donna Pryor, Husch Blackwell LLP, 1801 Wewatta Street, Suite1000, Denver, CO 80202, Donna.pryor@huschblackwell.com

 

Mia F. Terrell, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of theSolicitor, 525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501, Dallas, TX 75202, terrell.mia@dol.gov

Tyler Nash, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of theSolicitor, 525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501, Dallas, TX 75202, nash.william.t@dol.gov

 

Josh Bernstein, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of theSolicitor, 525 S. Griffin Street, Suite 501, Dallas, TX 75202, bernstein.josh@dol.gov

----

[1] If an operatorhas a patten a pattern of violations of mandatory health or safety standards thatcould significantly and substantially contribute to the cause and effect ofcoal or other mine health or safety standards, Section 104(e)(1) of the MineAct directs MSHA to issue a notice of such pattern to the operator. 30 U.S.C. §814(e)(1). If any inspection within 90 days following the notice reveals a significantand substantial violation of a mandatory health or safety standard, MSHA mustissue a withdrawal order. *Id.* Section 104(e) also provides for MSHA’s issuanceof additional withdrawal orders for subsequent significant and substantial violationsdiscovered until an inspection of the entire mine reveals no significant andsubstantial violations of mandatory health or safety standards. *Id.* § 814(e)(2)-(3).

[2]The contest cases,Docket Nos. CENT 2023-0070 through CENT 2023-0078, were assigned to me alongsideDocket No. CENT 2023-0069.