MSHA Seeks Comments on Mine Opening Forms
Published Date: 6/1/2026
Notice
Summary
The Mine Safety and Health Administration wants to keep collecting info from mine operators and miner reps about who’s in charge, when mines open or close, and legal details. This helps keep mines safe and organized without adding extra paperwork. If you’re involved with mines, you can share your thoughts by July 31, 2026—no extra fees or big changes, just a smooth info update!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
Operators Must File Legal Identity Reports Within 30 Days
Operators must file MSHA Form 2000-7 to notify MSHA of the legal identity of the operator not later than 30 days after the effective date of the part and within 30 days after opening a new mine; operators also must notify MSHA within 30 days of any change in that information. Failure to notify in the required time is a violation of section 109(d) and is subject to penalties under section 110 of the Mine Act.
Extension of Mine Information Collection
MSHA proposes to extend, without change, the information collection titled "Representative of Miners, Notification of Legal Identity, and Notification of Commencement of Operations and Closing of Mines." Comments on the extension must be received by July 31, 2026. MSHA reports 9,522 annual respondents, 9,522 annual responses, an annual time burden of 1,717 hours, and annual recordkeeping costs of $790.
Representative of Miners Must File and Post Designation
A representative of miners must file MSHA Form 2000-238 with the appropriate MSHA District Manager and provide a copy to the mine operator. The operator must post the copy on the mine bulletin board and keep it current. A representative who can no longer comply must file a termination statement; MSHA will remove terminated designations and notify the operator.
Electronic Mine ID Requests Required
Mine operators must request an MSHA mine identification number using MSHA Form 7000-51 prior to submitting the Legal Identity Report, and MSHA requires Form 7000-51 to be submitted electronically to facilitate legal identity reporting.
Notify MSHA Before Opening or Closing Mines
The owner, operator, or person in charge of any metal and nonmetal mine must notify the nearest MSHA district office before starting operations and must notify when a mine closes. Notifications must include mine name, location, company name, mailing address, person in charge, whether operations are continuous or intermittent, and whether a closure is temporary or permanent.
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