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FMSHRC Commission decision Docket CENT 2024-0018 Decided September 6, 2024 Procedural

Secretary of Labor v. FCI Sand Operations, LLC

Secretary of Labor v. FCI Sand Operations, LLC (FMSHRC CENT 2024-0018): Wrong-operator citations reassigned

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Decision of the Commission
This is a decision of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, the highest level of agency review, citable as Commission precedent. It may have been appealed to a U.S. Court of Appeals after issuance under 30 U.S.C. § 816; check subsequent history before relying on it. The full text below is from the official FMSHRC release.
About this page: The plain-English summary and decision snapshot below were written by Ezel based on the official FMSHRC release. The full text is the Commission's own document.
Read the official release (fmshrc.gov)

Plain-English summary

FCI Sand moved to reopen after citations were issued to it for a time when another operator controlled the mine. It later asked to withdraw the motion because the citations had been transferred to the other operator. The Secretary confirmed that the citations were removed from FCI Sand's records and would be reassessed to the correct party. The Commission granted the withdrawal and dismissed the case.

Decision snapshot

  • Cited authority: None specific
  • Outcome: The reopening motion was withdrawn and the case was dismissed.
  • Key point: A reopening case can be dismissed after MSHA removes citations from the wrong operator and reassesses them to the proper party.

Full text (FMSHRC public release)

FEDERAL
MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION

1331
PENNSYLVANIA AVE., N.W., SUITE 520N

WASHINGTON,
DC 20004-1710

SECRETARY
OF LABOR,

MINE
SAFETY AND HEALTH

ADMINISTRATION
(MSHA)

v.

FCI
SAND OPERATIONS LLC

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Docket
No. CENT 2024-0018

A.C.
No. 41-05429-569144

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BEFORE: Jordan,
Chair; Baker, and Marvit, 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) (“Mine Act”). On November 7, 2023, the Commission received
from FCI Sand Operations LLC (“FCI Sand”) a motion to reopen the
above-captioned case. The motion stated that the relevant citations were issued
to the operator in error, as the mine was under the control of a different
operator at the time.

FCI Sand thereafter requested to withdraw
its motion, stating that the relevant citations had been transferred to a
different operator. The Secretary of Labor subsequently confirmed that the
citations at issue had been removed from FCI Sand’s records and would be
reassessed to the appropriate party.

We hereby grant FCI
Sand’s motion to withdraw in Docket No. CENT 2024-0018. Accordingly, this case
is dismissed.

/s/ Mary Lu Jordan

Mary
Lu Jordan, Chair

/s/ Timothy J. Baker

Timothy J. Baker, Commissioner

/s/ Moshe Z. Marvit

Moshe Z. Marvit, Commissioner

Distribution:

David
Tijerina, Safety Manager

FCI
Sand Operations LLC

640
Angelica Vista

Canyon
Lake, TX 78064

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

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

[email protected]

Melanie
Garris

USDOL/MSHA, OAASEI/CPCO

201 12th Street South, Suite 401

Arlington, VA 22202

[email protected]

Chief
Administrative Law Judge Glynn F. Voisin

Office
of the Chief Administrative Law Judge

Federal Mine Safety Health Review Commission

1331 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 520N

Washington, DC 20004-1710

[email protected]

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