David Zatezalo
David George Zatezalo | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 7, 1955 |
| Occupation(s) | Coal industry executive, government official |
| Known for | Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health |
David George Zatezalo (born June 7, 1955) is a prominent American executive in the coal sector who held the position of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health during President Donald Trump's administration, overseeing the agency tasked with regulating mine safety.
Coal Industry
Zatezalo launched his mining profession in 1974 at Consolidation Coal Company as a laborer affiliated with the United Mine Workers. He progressed through roles including foreman, then general superintendent at Southern Ohio Coal Company, followed by general manager at Windsor Coal Company. His leadership positions extended to vice president of operations for Appalachian mining at American Electric Power, general mine manager at BHP, and president of Hopedale Mining.
Between 2007 and 2014, he served as chairman of Rhino Resources, a coal firm known for its frequent disputes with federal regulators amid intensified mine safety enforcement during the Obama years. Rhino Resources was issued pattern of violations notices by MSHA in both 2010 and 2011, coinciding with increased federal oversight after the Upper Big Branch Mine disaster.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
In September 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Zatezalo to head the Mine Safety and Health Administration. His appointment was supported by Robert E. Murray, who advocated for Zatezalo's return from retirement to assume this leadership role. One of his early initiatives involved easing inspection requirements specifically for hard rock mining operations.
The Senate forwarded his nomination to the United States Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on September 5, 2017. Prior to confirmation, Democrats requested information regarding safety citations at the Eagle #1 mine, and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) expressed opposition to the nomination. His confirmation hearing took place on October 4, 2017, with the committee narrowly approving the nomination by a 12–11 vote. The full Senate confirmed him on November 15 by a margin of 52–46.
During Zatezalo's tenure at MSHA, plans were initiated to reassess regulations concerning rock and coal dust as well as diesel emissions within mining environments. In December 2017, the agency invited public comments on regulatory reforms aimed at lessening compliance burdens on the industry.