[Federal Register: August 6, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 151)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42995-42996]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06au99-106]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mine Safety and Health Administration

 
Notice of Public Hearing

AGENCY: Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), Labor.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: This notice sets a date, time and place for a public hearing 
in connection with MSHA's accident investigation of the July 5, 1999 
explosion at Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Company's Gramercy Works 
facility in Gramercy, Louisiana.
    The United States Department of Labor, Mine Safety & Health 
Administration will convene a public hearing as part of the Agency's 
accident investigation into the July 5, 1999 explosion at the Kaiser 
Aluminum & Chemical Company's Gramercy Works facility in Gramercy, 
Louisiana.
    The hearing will begin at 9:00 A.M CDT on Wednesday, September 8, 
1999, at the St. James Parish Courthouse, Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 
5800 LA 44, Convent, Louisiana 70723. It will continue at such time(s) 
and place(s) as MSHA designates.
    The hearing is convened pursuant to Section 103(b) of the Federal 
Mine Safety & Health Act of 1977, 30 USC Section 813(b). The purpose of 
the hearing is to carry out MSHA's statutory responsibility to (1) 
determine the cause(s), including possible contributory causes, of the 
explosion; (2) identify and develop corrective actions, procedures and 
strategies to prevent the occurrence of similar accidents; and (3) 
determine whether federal safety standards were violated in relation to 
the explosion. The hearing will be non-adversarial and fact-finding in 
nature, and questioning will be limited to the statutory purposes. The 
hearing will not be subject to the provisions of the Administrative 
Procedure Act, 5 USC Section 554.
    All of the questioning will be done by an MSHA panel comprised of 
Agency personnel, experts retained by MSHA, and representatives from 
the Department of Labor's Office of the Solicitor. Representatives of 
the operator, the miners or any other interested person may submit 
written questions or areas of inquiry for MSHA to consider. MSHA will 
determine--at its sole discretion--whether said supplemental questions 
will be asked. Such supplemental questioning will be conducted by the 
MSHA panel.
    Representatives of the operator, representatives of miners at the 
facility, and any other interested persons are invited to provide the 
names of potential witnesses with relevant information concerning the 
accident. A brief description of the possible relevant testimony of the 
potential witness should be included when witness names are submitted. 
MSHA will make the final determination of which witnesses will be 
called to testify. Suggested questions and the names of potential 
witnesses should be provided to Edward Lopez at the address below.
    Witnesses will be subpoenaed by the Agency. The subpoena will 
advise the witness of the date and time of his/her required appearance, 
as well as of the location of the hearing. Some witnesses

[[Page 42996]]

may be required to bring certain records with them at the time of their 
appearance. Witnesses are encouraged to review any records necessary to 
refresh or supplement their recollection prior to appearing to testify.

DATES: The hearing will begin at 9:00 A.M CDT, September 8, 1999.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held in St. James Parish Courthouse, 
Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 5800 LA 44, Convent, Louisiana 70723.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Lopez, Accident Investigations 
Program Manager, Mine Safety & Health Administration, 4015 Wilson 
Boulevard, Room 718, Arlington, VA 22203; telephone (703) 235-1565; Fax 
(703) 235-3686 (Arlington, Virginia) or telephone (225) 869-9636 
(Lutcher, Louisiana).

    Dated: August 3, 1999.
Marvin W. Nichols,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health.
[FR Doc. 99-20393 Filed 8-4-99; 2:06 pm]
BILLING CODE 4510-43-P