MSHA Announces New Civil Penalty Collection Process
MSHA announced yesterday that it is implementing several new changes to improve its civil penalty payment process.
"These are the first of several changes that we are making to streamline our debt collection process," said Jay Mattos, acting director for MSHA's Office of Assessments. "Our goal is to establish a better process that is more user friendly for everyone."
Beginning Oct. 1 all payments for civil penalties must be mailed to the following new address: U.S. Department of Labor/MSHA, P.O. Box 790390, St. Louis, MO 63179-0390. Payments that are made by check will be converted into electronic funds transfers (EFTs) and electronically debited to a company's account for the amount of the check, usually within 24 hours, and will be shown on the company's regular account statements. Monthly assessment billing statements will be sent by MSHA via Federal Express, which requires a street address as P.O. boxes and drawers cannot be used.
Additionally, MSHA is asking that each company ensure its address of record reported on the Legal Identity Report is correct, they can be reviewed at www.msha.gov/drs/drshome.htm. To change an address, companies must file a paper copy that can be obtained from the mine's servicing district office or online by accessing www.msha.gov under the Forms/Online section of Quick Links.
Notices about the new mailing address, EFTs, and assessment statement delivery are being included in current assessment invoices or mailed separately to operators and contractors, MSHA says.