WASHINGTON, D.C. — An administrative law judge has approved a settlement between the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration and the new owner of five northern West Virginian mines responsible for 1,752 violations and an initial assessment of $5.1 million in federal fines.
Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp. will pay $3.3 million for the violations issued to the mines and their previous owner, Consol Energy Inc. of Pittsburgh.
“This global settlement resolves MSHA violations issued prior to the Murray Energy purchase and operation of the mines and brings a close to all related, outstanding litigation,” said Joseph A. Main, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health. “We believe this will allow Murray to focus its time and effort on current and future safety, health and compliance issues.”
The order by the administrative law judge with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission settles violations issued to the Blacksville No. 2 (Murray’s Monongalia County Mine), Robinson Run No. 95 (Murray’s Harrison County Mine), Shoemaker (Murray’s Ohio County Mine), Loveridge No. 22 (Murray’s Marion County Mine) and McElroy Coal (Murray’s Marshall County Mine) mines.”
Murray Energy purchased the mines in Dec. 2013.
The parties also agreed that settled penalty amounts are reasonable given the circumstances surrounding each affected citation/order and take into account the penalty criteria set forth at 30 C.F.R. Part 100 and Section 110(i) of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977.