MSHA has announced it will hold four public hearings in June to take testimony on two proposed rules. The Agency also stated that the comment period for a third rule on respirable coal dust has been extended.

The hearings will take testimony on proposals covering examinations of work areas in underground coal mines and on pattern of violations. Each hearing on the workplace examination rule will begin at 8:30 a.m., with testimony on the pattern of violations proposal following that, MSHA said in a media release. The hearings notice will appear formally in the Federal Register on May 4.

The schedule is as follows: June 2, Embassy Suites Denver, Denver, CO; June 7, Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia, Charleston, WV; June 9, Sheraton Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; and June 15, MSHA headquarters, Arlington, VA. Post-hearing comments will be accepted through June 30.

Please note that MSHA has set the POV hearing to begin after the U/G Coal hearings. It is $afepro's rationale that this was done deliberately to prevent large numbers of M/N Surface Producers from attending!

If you are an Aggregates or M/N Surface Producer please make your plans to attend!

See News Release