PRIA Logo™
Title 30, Mineral Lands and MiningRelease 119-110

§818 Injunctions

Title 30 › CHAPTER 22 — MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL › § 818

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary can go to a federal district court where a mine is located or where the mine operator has its main office to ask for court orders like temporary or permanent injunctions. The Secretary can do this if an operator breaks or refuses to follow orders, blocks or delays inspectors, won’t let inspectors in, won’t allow accident or disease investigations, won’t give requested information, or won’t let needed records be seen or copied. The Secretary can also sue if there is a pattern of health or safety violations that the Secretary believes creates a continuing danger to miners. The court can order whatever relief is appropriate and can require the operator to take steps to protect miners. Temporary restraining orders follow rule 65 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and if issued without notice they last seven days. Orders to enforce earlier decisions stay in effect until all review proceedings finish, unless the court changes them sooner. If the Commission or the Secretary held a public hearing, the court must accept their findings if those findings are supported by substantial evidence on the whole record.

Full Legal Text

Title 30, §818

Mineral Lands and Mining, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Civil action by Secretary
(1)The Secretary may institute a civil action for relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or any other appropriate order in the district court of the United States for the district in which a coal or other mine is located or in which the operator of such mine has his principal office, whenever such operator or his agent—
(A)violates or fails or refuses to comply with any order or decision issued under this chapter, or fails or refuses to comply with any order or decision, including a civil penalty assessment order, that is issued under this chapter,
(B)interferes with, hinders, or delays the Secretary or his authorized representative, or the Secretary of Health and Human Services or his authorized representative, in carrying out the provisions of this chapter,
(C)refuses to admit such representatives to the coal or other mine,
(D)refuses to permit the inspection of the coal or other mine, or the investigation of an accident or occupational disease occurring in, or connected with, such mine,
(E)refuses to furnish any information or report requested by the Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services in furtherance of the provisions of this chapter, or
(F)refuses to permit access to, and copying of, such records as the Secretary or the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines necessary in carrying out the provisions of this chapter.
(2)The Secretary may institute a civil action for relief, including permanent or temporary injunction, restraining order, or any other appropriate order in the district court of the United States for the district in which the coal or other mine is located or in which the operator of such mine has his principal office whenever the Secretary believes that the operator of a coal or other mine is engaged in a pattern of violation of the mandatory health or safety standards of this chapter, which in the judgment of the Secretary constitutes a continuing hazard to the health or safety of miners.
(b)Jurisdiction; relief; findings of Commission or Secretary
In any action brought under subsection (a), the court shall have jurisdiction to provide such relief as may be appropriate. In the case of an action under subsection (a)(2), the court shall in its order require such assurance or affirmative steps as it deems necessary to assure itself that the protection afforded to miners under this chapter shall be provided by the operator. Temporary restraining orders shall be issued in accordance with rule 65 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, as amended, except that the time limit in such orders, when issued without notice, shall be seven days from the date of entry. Except as otherwise provided herein, any relief granted by the court to enforce any order under paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall continue in effect until the completion or final termination of all proceedings for review of such order under this subchapter, unless prior thereto, the district court granting such relief sets it aside or modifies it. In any action instituted under this section to enforce an order or decision issued by the Commission or the Secretary after a public hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, the findings of the Commission or the Secretary, as the case may be, if supported by substantial evidence on the record considered as a whole, shall be conclusive.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1)(A), (B), (E), (F), (2) and (b), 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. Rule 65 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, referred to in subsec. (b), is set out in the Appendix to Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

Amendments

2006—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 109–236 inserted before comma at end “, or fails or refuses to comply with any order or decision, including a civil penalty assessment order, that is issued under this chapter”. 1977—Pub. L. 95–164 redesignated existing provisions as subsecs. (a)(1) and (b), added subsec. (a)(2), and in the redesignated provisions inserted references to findings of the Commission, inserted requirement that in actions brought under subsec. (a)(2) the courts require such assurances or affirmative action as they deem necessary to assure that the protections offered by this chapter to the miners be provided by the operator, and struck out provisions relating to the appointment of attorneys by the Secretary to represent him in actions under this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsec. (a)(1)(B), (F) 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.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

30 U.S.C. § 818

Title 30, Mineral Lands and Mining

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110