Mining Incidents

N & L Slope: 164 MSHA citations Coal

BEAR GAP COAL COMPANY LLC · Underground
Controlled by Christian K Kauffman
Trevorton, Northumberland County, PA  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 3602203

N & L Slope has $16K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 4 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
0
Years on record
Latest incident
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2001
164
citations
20
significant & substantial
$15,904
proposed penalties
$13,270
paid to date
83% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $2,634 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
332
inspections on record
7,929
inspection hours
2.1
citations per 100 inspection hours
This rate is recorded citations divided by MSHA inspection hours, per 100 hours. It reflects inspection effort, not mine size or production.
164 citations across 7,929 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

N & L Slope has $16K in proposed MSHA penalties and $2K outstanding across 4 contested dockets.

Penalty disposition
Differences between proposed and paid penalties reflect both settlements and conference reductions and amounts still owed. Outstanding is the balance currently owed.
$16K
proposed penalties
$16K
current assessed
$13K
paid to date
$2K
outstanding
157 assessments are final orders; 4 contested dockets.
Of $410 in penalties contested before the Commission, $220 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2026-05-19.
Source: MSHA assessed-violations and conference/litigation data, updated weekly.
Violation severity profile
Shares are computed over citations that carry the MSHA gravity and negligence coding; a small share of records are uncoded.
12.3%
significant & substantial
0.6%
high negligence or reckless
12.4%
reasonably likely or greater
3.1%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 31.7% low, 67.7% moderate, 0.6% high, 0.0% reckless.
Source: MSHA violations gravity and negligence coding, updated weekly.
When citations were contested
Contesting a citation before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission is a lawful right. These figures state the public outcomes of that process, from MSHA's Contested Violations file.
5 citations taken to the federal commission · 3% of citations on record
  • Settled 5 · 100%
47%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$300 proposed, $160 after decisions · industry: 39%
Source: MSHA Contested Violations file (public record), updated weekly. A dismissed or defaulted contest leaves the citation standing as issued; a vacated or withdrawn citation is removed from the violation record. Latest contest filed 2006-03-09.
Contested penalties
A reduction or dismissal at the Commission is a lawful outcome of contesting a proposed penalty. Figures are the proposed amount and the amount upheld in the docket's decision.
Largest penalties this mine contested before the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, with the outcome on record.
Docket Decision Judge Year Proposed / upheld
PENN 2005-170 Settlement Lesnick 2005 $120 → $60
PENN 2006-140 Settlement Lesnick 2006 $120 → $70
PENN20020141 Settlement Barbour 2002 $110 → $60
PENN 2005-174 Settlement Lesnick 2005 $60 → $30
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at N & L Slope shows 100% of 1,144 respirable coal dust samples met the 1.5 mg/m3 standard.

Health sampling
A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.

Respirable coal dust
Respirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.

Last sampled: 2026-08-25
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
1,144
samples
1.84
dust max (mg/m3)
0
over MSHA ECV
The excessive concentration value (ECV) is MSHA's own per-sample enforcement threshold, which builds in measurement uncertainty; a sample over its ECV can trigger a citation. The count covers only samples MSHA assigned an ECV.
415 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 729 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • HAND LOADERS832
  • HOIST ENGINEER/OPERATOR84
  • LABORER62

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2022-01-31, 4 years ago
1.2
silica avg (%)
4
samples
2.6
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • HAND LOADERS4

Noise
The share counts noise samples whose measured dose exceeded the 90 dBA permissible exposure limit. It describes the sampled workplace, not what reached the miner's ear: hearing conservation programs and the hearing protection worn during the shift are recorded separately and are not reflected here.

Last sampled: 2025-11-25
2%
over PEL
117
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • HAND LOADERS35
  • HOIST ENGINEER/OPERATOR32
  • LABORER27
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Health sampling trend
A sample is a point in time compliance measurement, not an individual exposure history. These figures describe MSHA sampling records and do not establish causation or personal dose.
Respirable coal dust by year
Respirable coal dust and silica figures cover coal facilities. Dust compliance is measured against the current 1.5 mg/m3 standard; samples predating the 2014 standard are included, so compliance rates are a coarse historical signal.
Year within 1.5 mg/m3 samples
2026 100% 44
2025 100% 54
2022 100% 24
2021 100% 3
2020 100% 24
2019 100% 60
2018 100% 63
2017 100% 72
2016 100% 65
2015 100% 49
2014 100% 43
2013 100% 49
2012 100% 49
2011 100% 49
2010 100% 50
2009 100% 54
2008 100% 46
2007 98% 46
2006 100% 27
2005 100% 46
2004 100% 41
2003 98% 43
2002 100% 44
2001 100% 57
2000 100% 42
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2022 0.7 1
2017 2.6 1
2003 0.8 1
2000 0.9 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2025 0% 6
2022 0% 2
2021 0% 2
2019 0% 2
2018 0% 3
2017 0% 4
2016 0% 3
2015 0% 8
2014 0% 3
2013 0% 8
2011 0% 9
2010 0% 4
2009 0% 8
2008 10% 10
2007 10% 10
2006 0% 5
2005 0% 6
2004 0% 3
2003 0% 3
2002 0% 3
2001 0% 6
2000 0% 9
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. N & L Coal Company 1950 to 1980
  2. Snyder Coal Company 1980 to 2006
  3. Bear Gap Coal 2006 to 2020
  4. BEAR GAP COAL COMPANY LLC 2020 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Coal production is reported quarterly and lags the current period; the most recent quarters may be incomplete.
Year Employees Coal produced (tons)
2026 4 1,408
2025 4 3,394
2024 4
2023 1
2022 4 3,958
2021 5 582
2020 2 2,254
2019 3 4,018
2018 4 4,753
2017 3 2,464
2016 4 6,843
2015 4 8,378
2014 4 6,703
2013 4 7,936
2012 4 8,138
2011 4 6,392
2010 4 6,355
2009 4 4,930
2008 4 5,918
2007 3 5,983
2006 2 4,128
2005 2 3,492
2004 3 5,475
2003 3 1,771
2002 3 3,579
2001 3 4,659
2000 3 4,174
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

N & L Slope sits in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, where the Census mining category is 0.6% of county employment.

Local economic context
County figures come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey, 5-year pooled estimates, so the 2023 vintage covers 2019 through 2023. The Census category is 'mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction', which is broader than MSHA jurisdiction and includes oil and gas workers no mine employs. These figures describe the surrounding county, not this mine, and are not a factor in any specific incident.
Northumberland County, Pennsylvania · Population 90,925
0.6%
Mining share of county employment
$57,948
Median household income
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year estimates.
Quarterly safety rates
Citations per million reported employee-hours. Rates begin in 2000, when MSHA's quarterly employment data starts; earlier incidents are counted but cannot be rate-adjusted. Quarters under 100,000 reported hours are greyed: too few hours for a stable rate.
Citations per million employee-hours, as reported to MSHA
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2026 Q2 720 1 1 1388.9
2026 Q1 720 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 720 0 0 0.0
2025 Q3 720 1 0 1388.9
2025 Q2 720 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 720 1 0 1388.9
2024 Q4 540 0 0 0.0
2023 Q2 5 0 0 0.0
Show 90 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2023 Q1 10 0 0 0.0
2022 Q4 180 4 2 22222.2
2022 Q3 1,035 3 2 2898.6
2022 Q2 1,080 1 0 925.9
2022 Q1 1,200 1 0 833.3
2021 Q4 1,320 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 1,460 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 726 1 0 1377.4
2021 Q1 1,260 3 2 2381.0
2020 Q4 0 0 0
2020 Q3 0 0 0
2020 Q2 72 1 0 13888.9
2020 Q1 936 2 0 2136.8
2019 Q4 648 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 960 2 0 2083.3
2019 Q2 975 1 0 1025.6
2019 Q1 975 2 0 2051.3
2018 Q4 975 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 1,300 1 1 769.2
2018 Q2 1,300 2 0 1538.5
2018 Q1 1,080 2 0 1851.9
2017 Q4 1,370 1 0 729.9
2017 Q3 1,365 2 0 1465.2
2017 Q2 1,365 3 1 2197.8
2016 Q4 1,820 1 0 549.5
2016 Q3 1,820 1 0 549.5
2016 Q2 1,820 2 1 1098.9
2016 Q1 1,820 1 0 549.5
2015 Q4 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2015 Q3 1,820 0 0 0.0
2015 Q2 1,820 1 0 549.5
2015 Q1 1,820 1 0 549.5
2014 Q4 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2014 Q3 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2014 Q2 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2014 Q1 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2013 Q4 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2013 Q3 1,820 0 0 0.0
2013 Q2 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2013 Q1 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2012 Q4 1,820 1 0 549.5
2012 Q3 1,820 0 0 0.0
2012 Q2 1,820 0 0 0.0
2012 Q1 1,820 1 0 549.5
2011 Q4 1,820 1 0 549.5
2011 Q3 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2011 Q2 1,820 1 0 549.5
2011 Q1 1,820 1 0 549.5
2010 Q4 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2010 Q3 1,820 1 0 549.5
2010 Q2 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2010 Q1 1,820 7 2 3846.2
2009 Q4 1,820 3 0 1648.4
2009 Q3 1,680 4 2 2381.0
2009 Q2 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2009 Q1 1,820 2 0 1098.9
2008 Q4 1,680 3 1 1785.7
2008 Q3 1,680 4 0 2381.0
2008 Q2 1,680 22 2 13095.2
2008 Q1 1,680 2 0 1190.5
2007 Q4 1,260 2 0 1587.3
2007 Q3 1,260 3 0 2381.0
2007 Q2 1,260 2 0 1587.3
2007 Q1 1,260 1 0 793.7
2006 Q4 1,080 1 1 925.9
2006 Q3 630 2 1 3174.6
2006 Q2 0 1 0
2006 Q1 983 2 0 2034.6
2005 Q4 780 1 0 1282.1
2005 Q3 585 2 0 3418.8
2005 Q2 0 1 0
2005 Q1 687 2 0 2911.2
2004 Q4 252 2 0 7936.5
2004 Q3 135 1 0 7407.4
2004 Q2 195 1 0 5128.2
2004 Q1 1,026 1 0 974.7
2003 Q4 684 1 0 1462.0
2003 Q3 684 2 0 2924.0
2002 Q4 810 1 0 1234.6
2002 Q3 648 0 0 0.0
2002 Q2 828 1 0 1207.7
2002 Q1 1,134 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 1,010 2 0 1980.2
2001 Q3 810 3 1 3703.7
2001 Q2 936 1 0 1068.4
2001 Q1 954 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 882 0 0 0.0
2000 Q3 378 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 150 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 900 0 0 0.0

No reportable incidents on file.

MSHA has no recorded reportable accidents for this mine in the current dataset. New reports appear here within a week of being filed.