Title 30 — Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-73
§812 Advisory committees
Title 30 › Chapter CHAPTER 22— - MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL › § 812
Summary
The Secretary of the Interior must set up an advisory committee for coal and other mine safety research. It must include the Director of the Office of Science and Technology, the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Director of the National Science Foundation, or each one’s delegate if the director agrees. The Secretary may add other experts in mine safety. The committee gives advice and recommendations about research, grants, and contracts. The chair and most of the members the Secretary appoints must not have money ties to the mining industry and must not be miners, mine operators, or government officers or employees. The Secretary of Health and Human Services must set up a similar advisory committee for coal and other mine health research. It must include the Director of the United States Bureau of Mines, the Director of the National Science Foundation, and the Director of the National Institutes of Health, or their delegates if the directors agree, plus other experts the Secretary chooses. That committee also advises on research, grants, and contracts, and its chair and most appointed members must be free of mining economic interests and not be miners, operators, or government officers or employees. Either Secretary can create other advisory committees and picks their chairs. Non‑government members may be paid per day up to the GS–18 rate (see section 5332 of title 5) and are fully reimbursed for travel and related expenses, despite the usual limits in sections 5703 and 5704 of title 5.
Full Legal Text
Title 30, §812
Mineral Lands and Mining — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)The Secretary of the Interior shall appoint an advisory committee on coal or other mine safety research composed of—
(A)the Director of the Office of Science and Technology or his delegate, with the consent of the Director;
(B)the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Commerce, or his delegate, with the consent of the Director;
(C)the Director of the National Science Foundation, or his delegate, with the consent of the Director; and
(D)such other persons as the Secretary of the Interior may appoint who are knowledgeable in the field of coal or other mine safety research.
(2)The advisory committee shall consult with, and make recommendations to, the Secretary of the Interior on matters involving or relating to coal or other mine safety research. The Secretary of the Interior shall consult with, and consider the recommendations of, such committee in the conduct of such research, the making of any grants, and the entering into of contracts for such research.
(3)The chairman of the committee and a majority of the persons appointed by the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to paragraph (1)(D) shall be individuals who have no economic interests in the coal or other mining industry, and who are not operators, miners, or officers or employees of the Federal Government or any State or local government.
(b)(1)The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall appoint an advisory committee on coal or other mine health research composed of—
(A)the Director, United States Bureau of Mines, or his delegate, with the consent of the Director;
(B)the Director of the National Science Foundation, or his delegate, with the consent of the Director;
(C)the Director of the National Institutes of Health, or his delegate, with the consent of the Director; and
(D)such other persons as the Secretary of Health and Human Services may appoint who are knowledgeable in the field of coal or other mine health research.
(2)The advisory committee shall consult with, and make recommendations to, the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters involving or relating to coal or other mine health research. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with, and consider the recommendations of, such committee in the conduct of such research, the making of any grants, and the entering into of contracts for such research.
(3)The chairman of the committee and a majority of the persons appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services pursuant to paragraph (1)(D) shall be individuals who have no economic interests in the coal or other mining industry, and who are not operators, miners, or officers or employees of the Federal Government or any State or local government.
(c)The Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services may appoint other advisory committees as he deems appropriate to advise him in carrying out the provisions of this chapter. The Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services, as the case may be, shall appoint the chairman of each such committee. A majority of the members (including the chairman) of any such advisory committee appointed pursuant to this subsection shall be composed of individuals who have no economic interests in the coal or other mining industry, and who are not operators, miners, or officers or employees of the Federal Government or any State or local government.
(d)Advisory committee members, other than officers or employees of Federal, State, or local governments, shall be, for each day (including traveltime) during which they are performing committee business, entitled to receive compensation at a rate fixed by the appropriate Secretary but not in excess of the maximum rate of pay for grade GS–18 as provided in the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5, and shall, notwithstanding the limitations of section 5703 and 5704 of title 5, be fully reimbursed for travel, subsistence, and related expenses.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 91–173, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 742, known as the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see
Short Title
note set out under section 801 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1988—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100–418 substituted “National Institute of Standards and Technology” for “National Bureau of Standards”. 1977—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–164 expanded the area of coverage for the committee on mine safety research from “coal mines” to “coal or other mines”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95–164 expanded the area of coverage for the advisory committee on mine health research from “coal mines” to “coal or other mines”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 95–164 struck out “, who shall be an individual who has no economic interest in the coal mining industry, and who is not an operator, miner, or an officer or employee of the Federal Government or any State or local government” after “chairman of each such committee” and inserted “(including the chairman)” after “A majority of the members”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 95–164 reenacted subsec. (d) without change.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Change of Name
“United States Bureau of Mines” substituted for “Bureau of Mines” in subsec. (b)(1)(A) pursuant to section 10(b) of Pub. L. 102–285, set out as a note under section 1 of this title. For provisions relating to closure and
Transfer of Functions
of the United States Bureau of Mines, see
Transfer of Functions
note set out under section 1 of this title. “Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsecs. (b) and (c) pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88 which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.
Effective Date
of 1977 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–164 effective 120 days after Nov. 9, 1977, except as otherwise provided, see section 307 of Pub. L. 95–164, set out as a note under section 801 of this title.
Effective Date
Section operative 90 days after Dec. 30, 1969, except to the extent an earlier date is specifically provided for in Pub. L. 91–173, see section 509 of Pub. L. 91–173, set out as a note under section 801 of this title. Termination of Advisory CommitteesAdvisory committees in existence on Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period following Jan. 5, 1973, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. Advisory committees established after Jan. 5, 1973, to terminate not later than the expiration of the 2-year period beginning on the date of their establishment, unless, in the case of a committee established by the President or an officer of the Federal Government, such committee is renewed by appropriate action prior to the expiration of such 2-year period, or in the case of a committee established by the Congress, its duration is otherwise provided by law. See section 1013 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. References in Other Laws to GS–16, 17, or 18 Pay RatesReferences in laws to the rates of pay for GS–16, 17, or 18, or to maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, § 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101–509, set out in a note under section 5376 of Title 5.
Executive Documents
Transfer of Functions
Functions vested by law in Office of Science and Technology and in Director or Deputy Director of Office of Science and Technology transferred to Director of National Science Foundation, and Office of Science and Technology, including offices of Director and Deputy Director, provided for by section 1 and 2 of Reorg. Plan No. 2, of 1962, eff.
June 8, 1962, 27 F.R. 5419, 76 Stat. 1253, abolished by section 2 and 3(a)(5) of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1973, eff.
July 1, 1973, 38 F.R. 9579, 87 Stat. 1089, both set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
30 U.S.C. § 812
Title 30 — Mineral Lands and Mining
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73