2011, the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall, based upon the latest research, 
recommend to the Secretary of Labor any revi-
sions to the mandatory operator sampling loca-
tions, methods, and intervals included in the in-
terim final rule described in subparagraph (B) 
that may be warranted in light of such re-
search. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION.—Until a final rule is issued 
by the Secretary under section 502(b)(2) of the Rob-
ert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2011, any 
measurement taken by a direct reading monitor de-
scribed in paragraph (2) shall not be admissible to 
establish a violation in an enforcement action under 
this Act.’’. 
(b) REPORT AND RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.— 
(1) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, in consultation with 
the Secretary of Labor, shall prepare and submit, to 
the Committee on Education and the Workforce of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Sen-
ate, a report— 
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(A) regarding whether any direct reading 
monitor described in section 304(d)(2)(B) of 
the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 
1977 (30 U.S.C. 864(d)(2)(B)) is sufficiently 
reliable and accurate for the enforcement of the 
mandatory health or safety standards by the 
Secretary of Labor under such Act, and wheth-
er additional improvement to such direct read-
ing monitor, or additional verification regarding 
reliability and accuracy, would be needed for 
enforcement purposes; and 
(B) identifying any limitations or impedi-
ments for such use in underground coal mines. 
(2) AUTHORITY.—If the Secretary determines 
that such direct reading monitor is sufficiently reli-
able and accurate for the enforcement of mandatory 
health and safety standards under the Federal 
Mines Safety and Health Act of 1977 following such 
report or any update thereto, the Secretary shall 
promulgate a final rule authorizing the use of such 
direct reading monitor for purposes of compliance 
and enforcement, in addition to other methods for 
determining total incombustible content. Such rule 
shall specify mandatory operator sampling locations, 
methods, and intervals. 
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SEC. 503. ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING SYSTEMS. 
Section 317 (30 U.S.C. 877) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(u) ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING SYSTEMS.— 
‘‘(1) NIOSH RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Rob-
ert C. Byrd Mine Safety Protection Act of 2011, the 
Director of the National Institute for Occupational 
Safety and Health, acting through the Office of 
Mine Safety and Health Research, in consultation, 
including through technical working groups, with op-
erators, vendors, State mine safety agencies, the 
Secretary, and labor representatives of miners, shall 
issue recommendations to the Secretary regarding— 
‘‘(A) how to ensure that atmospheric moni-
toring systems are utilized in the underground 
coal mining industry to maximize the health 
and safety of underground coal miners; 
‘‘(B) the implementation of redundant sys-
tems, such as the bundle tubing system, that 
can continuously monitor the mine atmosphere 
following incidents such as fires, explosions, en-
trapments, and inundations; and 
‘‘(C) other technologies available to con-
duct continuous atmospheric monitoring. 
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‘‘(2) ATMOSPHERIC MONITORING SYSTEM REG-
ULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year following the re-
ceipt of the recommendations described in paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall promulgate regulations re-
quiring that each operator of an underground coal 
mine install atmospheric monitoring systems, con-
sistent with such recommendations, that— 
‘‘(A) protect miners where the miners nor-
mally work and travel; 
‘‘(B) provide real-time information regard-
ing methane and carbon monoxide levels, and 
airflow direction, as appropriate, with sensing, 
annunciating, and recording capabilities; and 
‘‘(C) can, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, withstand explosions and fires.’’. 
SEC. 504. TECHNOLOGY RELATED TO RESPIRABLE DUST. 
Section 202(d) (30 U.S.C. 842(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘of Health, Education, and Wel-
fare’’; and 
(2) by striking the second sentence and insert-
ing the following: ‘‘Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of the Robert C. Byrd Mine Safe-
ty Protection Act of 2011, the Secretary shall pro-
mulgate final regulations that require operators, be-
ginning on the date such regulations are issued, to 
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provide coal miners with the maximum feasible pro-
tection from respirable dust, including coal and silica 
dust, that is achievable through environmental con-
trols, and that meet the applicable standards.’’. 
SEC. 505. REFRESHER TRAINING ON MINERS’ RIGHTS AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 115(a)(3) (30 U.S.C. 
825(a)(3)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) all miners shall receive not less than 9 
hours of refresher training not less frequently than 
once every 12 months, and such training shall in-
clude one hour of training on the statutory rights 
and responsibilities of miners and their representa-
tives under this Act and other applicable Federal 
and State law, pursuant to a program of instruction 
developed by the Secretary and delivered by an em-
ployee of the Administration or by a trainer ap-
proved by the Administration that is a party inde-
pendent from the operator;’’. 
(b) NATIONAL HAZARD REPORTING HOTLINE.—Sec-
tion 115 (30 U.S.C. 825) is further amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) through (e) 
as subsections (d) through (f), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the fol-
lowing: 
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