§ 4.1266 - Determination on application concerning an order of cessation.

§ 4.1266 Determination on application concerning an order of cessation.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 88 FR 5795, Jan. 30, 2023.

(a) If the 5-day requirement of section 525(c) of the act is waived, the administrative law judge shall expeditiously conduct a hearing and render a decision on the application.

(b) If there is no waiver of the 5-day requirement of section 525(c) of the act, the following special rules shall apply -

(1) The 5-day time for decision shall not begin to run until the application is filed pursuant to § 4.1262 or a copy of the application is received by the field solicitor for the region in which the mine site subject to the order is located, whichever occurs at a later date (see § 4.1109 the OHA Standing Orders on Contact Information for addresses);

(2) The application shall include an affidavit stating that telephone notice has been given to the field office of OSM serving the state in which the minesite subject to the order is located. The telephone notice shall identify the mine, the mine operator, the date and number of the order from which relief is requested, the name of the OSM inspector involved, and the name and telephone number contact information of the applicant. OSMOSMRE's' field offices' contact information is provided in the OHA Standing Orders on Contact Information field offices and their numbers follow:

Albuquerque Field Office

(

serving Arizona, California, and New Mexico) [phone].

Big Stone Gap Field Office (serving Virginia) [phone].

Birmingham Field Office (serving Alabama and Mississippi) [phone] (ext. 16).

Casper Field Office (serving Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) [phone].

Charleston Field Office (serving West Virginia) [phone].

Columbus Team Office (serving Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio) [phone].

Harrisburg Field Office (serving Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island) [phone].

Knoxville Field Office (serving Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina) [phone] (ext. 186).

Lexington Field Office (serving Kentucky) [phone].

Mid-Continent Regional Coordinating Center (serving Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri) [phone].

Olympia Office (serving Washington) [phone].

Tulsa Field Office (serving Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas) [phone] (ext. 23).

Western Regional Coordinating Center (serving Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Utah) [phone] (ext. 1424).

(3) Prior to or at the hearing, the applicant shall file with OHA the Hearings Division an affidavit stating the date upon which the copy of the application was delivered to the office of the field solicitor or the applicant may make an oral statement at the hearing setting forth that information. For purposes of the affidavit or statement the applicant may rely upon telephone confirmation by the office of the field solicitor that the application was received.

(4) In addition to the service requirements of § 4.1266(b) (1) and (2), the applicant shall serve any other parties with a copy of the application simultaneously with the filing of the application. If service is accomplished by mail, the applicant shall inform such other parties by telephone at the time of mailing that an application is being filed, the contents of the application, and with whom the application was filed.

(5) The field solicitor and all other parties may indicate their objection to the application by communicating such objection to the administrative law judge and the applicant by telephone. However, no ex parte communication as to the merits of the proceeding may be conducted with the administrative law judge. The field solicitor and all other parties shall simultaneously reduce their objections to writing. The written objections must be immediately filed with the administrative law judge and immediately served upon the applicant.

(6) Upon receipt of communication that there is an objection to the request, the administrative law judge shall immediately order a location, time, and date for the hearing by communicating such information to the field solicitor, all other parties, and the applicant by telephone. The administrative law judge shall reduce such communications to writing in the form of a memorandum to the file.

(7) If a hearing is held -

(i) The administrative law judge may require the parties to submit proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law at the hearing which may be orally supplemented on the record at the hearing or where written proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law have not been submitted at the hearing, they may be orally presented for the record at the hearing.

(ii) The administrative law judge shall either rule from the bench on the application, orally stating the reasons for his decision or he shall within 24 hours of completion of the hearing issue a written decision. If the administrative law judge makes an oral ruling, his approval of the record of the hearing shall constitute his written decision.

(8) The order or decision of the administrative law judge shall be issued within 5 working days of the receipt of the application for temporary relief.

(9) If at any time after the initiation of this expedited procedure, the applicant requests a delay or acts in a manner so as to frustrate the expeditious nature of this proceeding or fails to supply the information required by § 4.1263 such action shall constitute a waiver of the 5-day requirement of section 525(c) of the act.

[43 FR 34386, Aug. 3, 1978, as amended at 49 FR 7565, Mar. 1, 1984; 59 FR 1489, Jan. 11, 1994; 67 FR 61510, Oct. 1, 2002; 88 FR 5795, Jan. 30, 2023]