---
kind: "section"
citation: "30 U.S.C. § 963"
title: "30"
title_heading: "Mineral Lands and Mining"
number: "963"
heading: "Technical Study Panel"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/30/963"
units:
  - "Chapter 22 — Mine Safety and Health"
  - "Subchapter V — Administrative Provisions"
---

# §963. Technical Study Panel

- (a) **Establishment—** There is established a Technical Study [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) (referred to in this section as the “[Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m)”) which shall provide independent scientific and engineering review and recommendations with respect to the utilization of belt air and the composition and fire retardant properties of belt materials in underground coal mining.
- (b) **Membership—** The [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) shall be composed of—
  - (1) two individuals to be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Associate Director of the Office of Mine Safety;
  - (2) two individuals to be appointed by the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) of Labor, in consultation with the Assistant [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) for Mine Safety and Health; and
  - (3) two individuals, one to be appointed jointly by the majority leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives and one to be appointed jointly by the minority leader of the Senate and House of Representatives, each to be appointed prior to the sine die adjournment of the second session of the 109th Congress.
- (c) **Qualifications—** Four of the six individuals appointed to the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) under [subsection (b)](#b) shall possess a masters or doctoral level degree in mining engineering or another scientific field demonstrably related to the subject of the report. No individual appointed to the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) shall be an employee of any [coal or other mine](/usc/30/802.md?p=h-1), or of any labor organization, or of any [State](/usc/30/802.md?p=c) or Federal agency primarily responsible for regulating the mining industry.
- (d) **Report—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 1 year after the date on which all members of the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) are appointed under [subsection (b)](#b), the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) shall prepare and submit to the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) of Labor, the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) of Health and Human Services, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives a report concerning the utilization of belt air and the composition and fire retardant properties of belt materials in underground coal mining.
  - (2) **Response by Secretary—** Not later than 180 days after the receipt of the report under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) of Labor shall provide a response to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives containing a description of the actions, if any, that the [Secretary](/usc/30/802.md?p=a) intends to take based upon the report, including proposing regulatory changes, and the reasons for such actions.
- (e) **Compensation—** Members appointed to the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m), while carrying out the duties of the [Panel](/usc/30/802.md?p=m) shall be entitled to receive compensation, per diem in lieu of subsistence, and travel expenses in the same manner and under the same conditions as that prescribed under [section 210(c) of title 42](/usc/42/210.md?p=c).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–173, title V, § 514, as added Pub. L. 109–236, § 11, June 15, 2006, 120 Stat. 501.)