[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 84 (Thursday, May 1, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23800-23801]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-11284]


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FEDERAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION


Government Performance and Results Act of 1993

AGENCY: Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission.

ACTION: Notice of request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), 
Pub. Law 103-62, codified in part at 31 U.S.C. 1115-1119, instructs 
federal agencies to develop performance goals and objectives in order 
that an agency's actual performance may be measured and compared 
against those goals and objectives, thus enhancing the effectiveness 
and efficiency of an agency's work. In developing its goals and 
objectives under GPRA, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review 
Commission solicits the views of those who practice before it and those 
who are affected by its case dispositions.

DATES: Comments should be received by June 16, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Richard L. Baker, Executive 
Director, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, 1730 K 
Street, NW., 6th Floor, Washington, DC 20006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Norman M. Gleichman, General Counsel, 
Office of the General Counsel, 1730 K Street, NW., 6th Floor, 
Washington, DC 20006, telephone: 202-653-5610 (202-566-2673 for TDD 
Relay). These are not toll-free numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: GPRA charges federal agencies with 
formulating strategic plans, preparing annual plans setting performance 
goals, and reporting annually the actual agency performance compared to 
those goals. In considering how best to formulate its goals and 
objectives, the Commission has sought to develop measures that would 
allow it to better evaluate its performance and, ultimately, accomplish 
its statutory mission under the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 
1977 (Mine Act), 30 U.S.C. 801 et seq. The Commission solicits the 
views of those who practice before it and those who are directly or 
indirectly affected by its case disposition to assist the Commission in 
developing goals and objectives to measure agency performance. 
Consideration should be given to how these goals will assist in 
evaluating the Commission's performance and ultimately enhance the 
accomplishment of its statutory objectives under the Mine Act.
    In responding to this notice, the Commission requests that those

[[Page 23801]]

submitting comments consider some or all of the following issues:
    (a) Are there quantifiable goals and objectives that would be 
appropriate measures of the Commission's performance under the Mine Act 
for purposes of GPRA? If so, what are they?
    (b) Are the following viable measures of performance for the 
Commission's administrative law judges: (1) Volume of outputs (number 
of dispositions), compared to previous years; (2) timeliness of 
outputs, including average inventory age and average age of decisions 
issued; and (3) quality of outputs, based on the number of appealed 
decisions in which the judges were reversed or affirmed by the 
Commission?
    (c) Are the following viable measures of performance at the 
Commission level: (1) Volume of outputs (number of dispositions), 
compared to previous years; (2) timeliness of outputs, including 
average inventory age and average age of decisions issued; and (3) 
quality of outputs, based on the number of decisions in which the 
Commission was reversed or affirmed in the courts of appeals?
    (d) In addition to quantifiable measures of performance, or in lieu 
of such measures, are there descriptive measures of the Commission's 
performance that would permit an accurate, independent determination of 
whether that performance meets the Commission's goals under the Mine 
Act?
    The Commission requests that responses to this solicitation for 
comments be submitted by June 16, 1997.

    Dated: April 22, 1997, at Washington, DC.
Mary Lu Jordan,
Chairman.
[FR Doc. 97-11284 Filed 4-30-97; 8:45 am]
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