Former Union Attorney Tapped to Lead Mine Safety Commission

President Joe Biden has named Arthur Traynor, a Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission member and former union attorney, as chairman of the appeals board.

The position was previously occupied by Marco M. Rajkovich Jr., who was nominated to the commission by former President Donald Trump and sworn in March 2019. Rajkovich, a Republican and former mine operator attorney, will remain on the commission until August 2024.

The five-member commission weighs in on disputes between regulators and mine operators, mostly on the appropriateness of civil penalties assessed for health and safety issues. It currently operates with three members, ...