Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) has reintroduced the “Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act,” which would permanently protect 225,504 acres of federal lands and waters within the Superior National Forest from sulfide-ore copper mining, including a plan by a Chilean mining company to extract critical minerals from the Superior National Forest and sell them to China for smelting. Conversely,…
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J. J. Keller Offers Free Labor Law Resource
With more than 80 mandatory state labor law posting changes, 2024 was a year for the record books, making it even more difficult for companies to stay in compliance. State and federal labor laws require employers with at least one employee to post all applicable required federal and state labor law notices at each of their locations. Depending on where…
Read MoreManitowoc to Pay $42.6M for Sale of Noncompliant Diesel Engines
The Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Justice announced a settlement agreement with Manitowoc Company Inc., and two of its subsidiaries, Grove U.S. L.L.C., and Manitowoc Crane Group Germany GmbH (collectively, Manitowoc) for violations of the Clean Air Act’s mobile source emission standards regulations. The settlement agreement requires Manitowoc to pay a civil penalty of $42.6 million and resolves allegations…
Read MoreNew Law: Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act
Sen. Martin Heinrich’s (D-N.M.) Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act was signed into law by President Joe Biden in December. Co-led with Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), this legislation will make it easier for “Good Samaritans,” such as state agencies, nonprofits and other groups, to clean up and improve water quality in and around abandoned hardrock mines. Heinrich applauded…
Read MoreRespirable Silica Fact Sheet
MSHA Offers A Range Of Compliance Assistance Materials For Mine Operators, Informational Materials For Miners and Other Resources. Respirable crystalline silica, or silica dust, is a common occupational hazard for coal and metal/nonmetal (MNM) miners. Silica dust is released through many mining and milling operations. To avoid any legal issues, producers should stay current on compliance. Silica dust can be…
Read MoreIt Was a Change Election
What Will The Department Of Government Efficiency Do With MSHA? By Brian Hendrix A few months ago, I said I would explain what the Supreme Court’s decision this year in SEC v. Jarkesy may mean for certain types of cases under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act. Much has changed since then, so I’m going to cover Jarkesy in…
Read MoreThe Mining Law of 1872
The Law Does Not Limit The Number Of Mill Sites That Claimants Can Locate. By Martin P. Stratte The Mining Law of 1872 allows people to prospect for valuable minerals on public lands. Prospectors can “locate” or “stake” mining claims. Claimants can also locate “mill sites” for milling or other mining-related activities.[1] Mill sites can be used for processing facilities…
Read MoreAn Election Primer for Private-Sector Employers
There Are Complicated Legal And Practical Issues Of Regulating Workplace Speech While Also Respecting Employee Rights. By Tyler Hibler and Delia Berrigan As the 2024 general election looms, employers can anticipate a rise in political expression from employees both inside and outside of the workplace. Political speech encompasses a broad array of activities, extending far beyond verbal or written communication…
Read MoreReigning in the Administrative State: Checking MSHA
What Does SEC v. Jarkesy and Corner Post Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System Mean? By Brian Hendrix Administrative law might rival Ambien as a sedative for all but a small handful of people of the sort who practice in the area or find it interesting. As that “sort” of person, I am inflicting a second…
Read MoreRespect For Agency Authority, Not Deference
What Does Loper Bright Enterprise v. Raimondo Mean To Future Regulatory Action? By Brian Hendrix Did you see the news about Chevron and Loper Bright? “Supreme Court takes a sledgehammer to federal agency power!” Court’s decision to overrule Chevron will “paralyze federal agencies” and generate a “tsunami of lawsuits!” To borrow a phrase, “big, if true.” Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending…
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