Mining Incidents

N R G: 60 MSHA citations Coal

4th Gen Fuels · Facility
Dione, Harlan County, KY  ·  Active
MSHA Mine ID: 1512399

N R G has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $298 outstanding across 3 contested dockets, plus health sampling and the full incident record.

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Fatalities
0
Total incidents
2
Years on record
1994–2025
Latest incident
Dec 2025
Compliance record
MSHA citations since 2000
60
citations
3
significant & substantial
$7,044
proposed penalties
$6,670
paid to date
95% of proposed penalties paid to date, a $374 gap.
Source: MSHA violations data, updated weekly.
Inspection activity
MSHA inspections since 2000
77
inspections on record
1,375
inspection hours
4.4
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.
60 citations across 1,375 inspection hours.
Source: MSHA inspections data, updated weekly.

N R G has $7K in proposed MSHA penalties and $298 outstanding across 3 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.
$7K
proposed penalties
$7K
current assessed
$7K
paid to date
$298
outstanding
59 assessments are final orders; 3 contested dockets.
Of $662 in penalties contested before the Commission, $586 was upheld in final decisions.
As of the most recent assessment on 2025-11-04.
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.
5.1%
significant & substantial
1.7%
high negligence or reckless
6.8%
reasonably likely or greater
8.5%
permanently disabling or fatal if injury occurs
Negligence coding: 0.0% none, 33.9% low, 64.4% moderate, 1.7% 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.
4 citations taken to the federal commission · 7% of citations on record
  • Settled 1 · 25%
  • Stood as issued 3 · 75%
0%
Penalty reduction in decided contests
$400 proposed, $400 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 2008-06-04.
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
KENT 2008-1151 Default Lesnick 2011 $300 → $300
KENT20000261 Settlement Zielinski 2000 $262 → $186
KENT 2008-248 Settlement Melick 2008 $100 → $100
Source: FMSHRC civil penalty dockets and decisions (public record), updated weekly.

MSHA sampling at N R G shows 100% of 98 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: 2026-07-30
100%
within 1.5 mg/m3
98
samples
0.39
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.
63 samples taken by MSHA inspectors, 35 by the operator.
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR68
  • TIPPLE OPERATOR8
  • LABORER/BLACKSMITH5

Silica (quartz)

Last sampled: 2019-07-31, 7 years ago
2.4
silica avg (%)
2
samples
3.4
silica max (%)
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR2

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: 2026-06-25
2%
over PEL
54
samples
Most-sampled occupations
  • BULLDOZER OPERATOR30
  • TIPPLE OPERATOR6
  • LABORER/BLACKSMITH5
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% 4
2025 100% 8
2024 100% 5
2023 100% 7
2022 100% 5
2021 100% 1
2020 100% 7
2019 100% 7
2018 100% 9
2017 100% 10
2016 100% 10
2003 100% 3
2002 100% 5
2001 100% 7
2000 100% 10
Silica (quartz) by year
Year silica avg (%) samples
2019 3.4 1
2017 1.3 1
Noise by year
Year over PEL samples
2026 0% 1
2025 0% 4
2024 0% 1
2023 0% 3
2022 0% 2
2020 0% 5
2019 0% 4
2018 0% 5
2017 0% 6
2016 0% 6
2003 0% 3
2002 0% 3
2001 0% 4
2000 14% 7
Source: MSHA respirable dust, quartz, and noise sampling records, updated weekly.
Ownership history
  1. Harlan Cumberland Coal Company, LLC 1980 to 2024
  2. 4th Gen Fuels 2024 to present
Source: MSHA controller and operator history, updated weekly.
Workforce and production
Year Employees
2026 1
2025 1
2024 1
2023 1
2022 1
2021 1
2020 1
2019 2
2018 1
2017 9
2016 9
2015 11
2010 2
2009 4
2008 4
2007 4
2006 3
2005 2
2004 0
2003 0
2002 2
2001 5
2000 3
Source: MSHA quarterly employment and production, updated weekly.

N R G sits in Harlan County, Kentucky, where the Census mining category is 4.3% 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.
Harlan County, Kentucky · Population 26,185
4.3%
Mining share of county employment
$37,198
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 41 0 0 0.0
2026 Q1 30 0 0 0.0
2025 Q4 68 2 0 29411.8
2025 Q3 37 0 0 0.0
2025 Q2 69 0 0 0.0
2025 Q1 34 11 0 323529.4
2024 Q4 115 0 0 0.0
2024 Q3 96 0 0 0.0
Show 76 earlier quarters
Quarter Hours worked Citations S&S Per 1M hrs
2024 Q2 87 0 0 0.0
2024 Q1 80 0 0 0.0
2023 Q4 34 2 0 58823.5
2023 Q3 26 3 1 115384.6
2023 Q2 149 0 0 0.0
2023 Q1 40 4 0 100000.0
2022 Q4 82 0 0 0.0
2022 Q3 69 1 0 14492.8
2022 Q2 305 0 0 0.0
2022 Q1 284 0 0 0.0
2021 Q4 210 0 0 0.0
2021 Q3 185 0 0 0.0
2021 Q2 236 0 0 0.0
2021 Q1 49 0 0 0.0
2020 Q4 14 0 0 0.0
2020 Q3 141 0 0 0.0
2020 Q2 21 0 0 0.0
2020 Q1 35 0 0 0.0
2019 Q4 218 0 0 0.0
2019 Q3 126 2 0 15873.0
2019 Q2 83 0 0 0.0
2019 Q1 187 1 0 5347.6
2018 Q4 346 0 0 0.0
2018 Q3 51 0 0 0.0
2018 Q2 50 1 0 20000.0
2018 Q1 28 1 0 35714.3
2017 Q4 253 1 0 3952.6
2017 Q3 408 1 0 2451.0
2017 Q2 549 0 0 0.0
2017 Q1 484 0 0 0.0
2016 Q4 430 0 0 0.0
2016 Q3 226 2 0 8849.6
2016 Q2 334 0 0 0.0
2016 Q1 1,928 5 0 2593.4
2015 Q4 848 0 0 0.0
2010 Q4 0 0 0
2010 Q3 0 1 1
2010 Q2 436 0 0 0.0
2010 Q1 458 0 0 0.0
2009 Q4 74 0 0 0.0
2009 Q3 100 2 0 20000.0
2009 Q2 272 0 0 0.0
2009 Q1 501 0 0 0.0
2008 Q4 151 0 0 0.0
2008 Q3 141 0 0 0.0
2008 Q2 202 2 0 9901.0
2008 Q1 44 3 0 68181.8
2007 Q4 199 0 0 0.0
2007 Q3 238 1 0 4201.7
2007 Q2 125 0 0 0.0
2007 Q1 165 0 0 0.0
2006 Q4 896 0 0 0.0
2006 Q3 252 0 0 0.0
2006 Q2 151 0 0 0.0
2006 Q1 0 0 0
2005 Q4 0 0 0
2005 Q3 0 0 0
2005 Q2 473 0 0 0.0
2005 Q1 134 0 0 0.0
2004 Q1 0 0 0
2003 Q4 0 0 0
2003 Q3 0 0 0
2003 Q2 0 0 0
2003 Q1 0 0 0
2002 Q4 0 0 0
2002 Q3 0 0 0
2002 Q2 103 4 0 38835.0
2002 Q1 76 0 0 0.0
2001 Q4 264 0 0 0.0
2001 Q3 301 0 0 0.0
2001 Q2 205 0 0 0.0
2001 Q1 2,035 0 0 0.0
2000 Q4 26 3 0 115384.6
2000 Q3 156 0 0 0.0
2000 Q2 466 0 0 0.0
2000 Q1 210 4 1 19047.6
No fatalities recorded at this mine.

Reportable incidents

2 on file

2025 · 1 incident

December 17, 2025 KY · Coal welder (non-shop) HANDLING OF MATERIALS
4th Gen Fuels · Over-exertion (Not Elsewhere Classified)

Employee reported experiencing lower back pain prior to work on 12/17/25 The employee stated the discomfort was noticed prior to the shift beginning however the cause of the injury is unknown and has not determined to be work-related at this time The employee sought medical evaluation and the matter is currently under investigation by the Company and workers compensation carrier.

1994 · 1 incident