§ 801. — Congressional findings and declaration of purpose.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 30USC801]
TITLE 30--MINERAL LANDS AND MINING
CHAPTER 22--MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH
Sec. 801. Congressional findings and declaration of purpose
Congress declares that--
(a) the first priority and concern of all in the coal or other
mining industry must be the health and safety of its most precious
resource--the miner;
(b) deaths and serious injuries from unsafe and unhealthful
conditions and practices in the coal or other mines cause grief and
suffering to the miners and to their families;
(c) there is an urgent need to provide more effective means and
measures for improving the working conditions and practices in the
Nation's coal or other mines in order to prevent death and serious
physical harm, and in order to prevent occupational diseases
originating in such mines;
(d) the existence of unsafe and unhealthful conditions and
practices in the Nation's coal or other mines is a serious
impediment to the future growth of the coal or other mining industry
and cannot be tolerated;
(e) the operators of such mines with the assistance of the
miners have the primary responsibility to prevent the existence of
such conditions and practices in such mines;
(f) the disruption of production and the loss of income to
operators and miners as a result of coal or other mine accidents or
occupationally caused diseases unduly impedes and burdens commerce;
and
(g) it is the purpose of this chapter (1) to establish interim
mandatory health and safety standards and to direct the Secretary of
Health and Human Services and the Secretary of Labor to develop and
promulgate improved mandatory health or safety standards to protect
the health and safety of the Nation's coal or other miners; (2) to
require that each operator of a coal or other mine and every miner
in such mine comply with such standards; (3) to cooperate with, and
provide assistance to, the States in the development and enforcement
of effective State coal or other mine health and safety programs;
and (4) to improve and expand, in cooperation with the States and
the coal or other mining industry, research and development and
training programs aimed at preventing coal or other mine accidents
and occupationally caused diseases in the industry.
(Pub. L. 91-173, Sec. 2, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 742; Pub. L. 95-164,
title I, Sec. 102(a), Nov. 9, 1977, 91 Stat. 1290; Pub. L. 96-88, title
V, Sec. 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in par. (g), was in the original ``this
Act'', meaning Pub. L. 91-173, Dec. 30, 1969, 83 Stat. 742, as amended,
known as the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 which was
redesignated the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 by Pub. L.
95-164, title I, Sec. 101, Nov. 9, 1977, 91 Stat. 1290. The Federal Mine
Safety and Health Act of 1977 enacted this chapter, amended sections 633
and 636 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, repealed sections 451 to 460
and 471 to 483 of this title, and enacted provisions set out as notes
under this section and section 636 of Title 15. For complete
classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out
below and Tables.
Amendments
1977--Pars. (a) to (d), (f). Pub. L. 95-164, Sec. 102(a)(1),
inserted ``or other'' after ``coal'' wherever appearing.
Par. (g). Pub. L. 95-164, Sec. 102(a)(1), (2), inserted ``or other''
after ``coal'' wherever appearing and substituted ``Secretary of Labor''
for ``Secretary of the Interior''.
Change of Name
``Secretary of Health and Human Services'' substituted for
``Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare'' in par. (g) 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 Amendment
Section 307 of Pub. L. 95-164 provided that: ``Except as otherwise
provided, this Act and the amendments made by this Act [see Short Title
of 1977 Amendment note below] shall take effect 120 days after the date
of enactment of this Act [Nov. 9, 1977]. The Secretary of Labor and the
Secretary of the Interior are authorized to establish such rules and
regulations as may be necessary for the efficient transfer of functions
provided under this Act. The amendment to the Federal Coal Mine Health
and Safety Act of 1969 made by section 202 of this Act [amending section
842(e) of this title and repealing subsec. (k) of section 878 of this
title] shall be effective on the date of enactment [Nov. 9, 1977].''
Effective Date
Section 509 of Pub. L. 91-173 provided that: ``Except to the extent
an earlier date is specifically provided in this Act [see Short Title
note below], the provisions of titles I and III of this Act [subchapters
I and III of this chapter] shall become operative ninety days after the
date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 30, 1969], and the provisions of
title II of this Act [subchapter II of this chapter] shall become
operative six months after the date of enactment of this Act. The
provisions of the Federal Coal Mine Safety Act, as amended [section 451
et seq. of this title], are repealed on the operative date of titles I
and III of this Act except that such provisions shall continue to apply
to any order, notice, decision, or finding issued under that Act prior
to such operative date and to any proceedings related to such order,
notice, decision or findings. All other provisions of this Act, shall be
effective on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 30, 1969].''
Short Title of 2002 Amendment
Pub. L. 107-275, Sec. 1, Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1925, provided
that: ``This Act [amending sections 902, 921 to 924, 925, 932a, and 936
of this title, repealing sections 904, 924a, and 945 of this title, and
enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 902 and 921 of this
title] may be cited as the `Black Lung Consolidation of Administrative
Responsibility Act'.''
Short Title of 1981 Amendment
Pub. L. 97-119, title II, Sec. 201(a), Dec. 29, 1981, 95 Stat. 1643,
provided that: ``This title [amending sections 901, 902, 921 to 923,
932, and 940 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes
under section 901 of this title] may be cited as the `Black Lung
Benefits Amendments of 1981'.''
Short Title of 1978 Amendment
Pub. L. 95-239, Sec. 1, Mar. 1, 1978, 92 Stat. 95, provided that:
``This Act [enacting sections 903, 904, 924a, and 942 to 945 of this
title, amending sections 901, 902, 921 to 924, 931, 932, 933, 937, 940,
and 941 of this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under
sections 901, 932a, and 934a of this title, section 4121 of Title 26,
Internal Revenue Code, and section 675 of Title 29, Labor] may be cited
as the `Black Lung Benefits Reform Act of 1977'.''
Short Title of 1977 Amendment
Section 1 of Pub. L. 95-164 provided: ``That this Act [enacting
sections 822 to 825 and 961 of this title and section 557a of Title 29,
Labor, amending this section, sections 802 to 804, 811 to 821, 842, 861,
878, 951 to 955, 958, and 959 of this title, and sections 5314 and 5315
of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, repealing sections
721 to 740 of this title and section 1456a of Title 43, Public Lands,
and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section, section 954
of this title and section 11 of former Title 31, Money and Finance] may
be cited as the `Federal Mine Safety and Health Amendments Act of
1977'.''
Short Title of 1972 Amendment
Pub. L. 92-303, Sec. 1(a), May 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 150, provided:
``That this Act [enacting sections 925 and 937 to 941 of this title,
amending sections 901, 902, 921 to 924, 931, 932, 933, 934, and 936 of
this title, and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 921
to 923 of this title] may be cited as the `Black Lung Benefits Act of
1972'.''
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 91-173, as amended by Pub. L. 95-164, title I,
Sec. 101, Nov. 9, 1977, 91 Stat. 1290, provided: ``That this Act [which
was known as the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 prior
to the amendment by Pub. L. 95-164 and which enacted this chapter,
amended sections 633 and 636 of Title 15, Commerce and Trade, repealed
sections 451 to 460 and 471 to 483 of this title, and enacted provisions
set out as notes under this section and section 636 of Title 15] may be
cited as the `Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977'.''
For short title of subchapter IV of this chapter as the ``Black Lung
Benefits Act'', see section 901(b) of this title.
Separability
Section 510 of Pub. L. 91-173 provided that: ``If any provision of
this Act [see Short Title note set out above], or the application of
such provision to any person or circumstance shall be held invalid, the
remainder of this Act, or the application of such provision to persons
or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid, shall
not be affected thereby.''
