Standards Development

What this funds

The Standards Development (SD) program develops safety and health standards and regulations for the mining industry that protect the safety and health of miners. These standards and regulations, developed in coordination with the Office of the Solicitor, Division Mine Safety and Health (SOL, MSH) and other MSHA program offices, establish enforcement requirements for compliance in accordance with the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended by the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (Mine Act). Standards Development coordinates all rulemaking activities with the DOL Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, SBA Chief Counsel for Advocacy and with OMB. SD leads all MSHA's rulemaking activities, from the pre-proposal stage to the publication of the final rule. Each year, it develops MSHA's Semi-Annual Regulatory Agenda and Regulatory Plan. In accordance with the Agenda and Plan, and consistent with the Agency's mandate in the Mine Act, MSHA proposes and promulgates new and improved safety and health standards and regulations. MSHA's standards and regulations are based on information submitted to the Secretary by interested parties, including any organizations representing miners and mine operators, nationally recognized standards-producing organizations, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), state or local governments, or otherwise available information developed by the Secretary. Pursuant to Executive Orders 12866, 14192, and 13563, SD also analyzes the anticipated benefits and costs of any significant regulatory or deregulatory action, and reviews existing standards and regulations to identify those that are inconsistent with EO policy directives. To ensure transparency in MSHA's rulemaking, SD maintains MSHA's rulemaking docket and posts all rulemaking documents on Regulations.gov. In addition to being responsible for all aspects of rulemaking, SD manages the procedures for filing of petitions for modification or variances (through which a mine operator or a representative of miners can petition to modify the application of any mandatory safety standard), MSHA's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) program, and information collection activities under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. SD coordinates these activities with all MSHA programs, and SOL, MSH.

Extracted from Mine Safety and Health Administration, p. 9. Verbatim; nothing here is paraphrased.

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