(a) You must develop and implement a written plan, approved by us under either paragraph (b) or (c) of this section, that contains effective programs for training new miners and newly hired experienced miners, training miners for new tasks, annual refresher training, and site-specific hazard awareness training.

(b) A training plan is considered approved by us if it contains, at a minimum, the following information:

(c) A plan that does not include the minimum information specified in paragraphs (b)(1) through (b)(5) of this section must be submitted to and approved by the Regional Manager, Educational Field Services Division, or designee, for the region in which the mine is located. You also may voluntarily submit a plan for Regional Manager approval. You must notify miners or their representatives when you submit a plan for Regional Manager approval. Within two weeks of receipt or posting of the plan, miners and their representatives may also request review and approval of the plan by the Regional Manager and must notify the production-operator or independent contractor of such request.

(d) You must provide the miners' representative, if any, with a copy of the plan at least 2 weeks before the plan is implemented or, if you request MSHA approval of your plan, at least two weeks before you submit the plan to the Regional Manager for approval. At mines where no miners' representative has been designated, you must post a copy of the plan at the mine or provide a copy to each miner at least 2 weeks before you implement the plan or submit it to the Regional Manager for approval.

(e) Within 2 weeks following the receipt or posting of the training plan under paragraph (d) of this section, miners or their representatives may submit written comments on the plan to you, or to the Regional Manager, as appropriate.

(f) The Regional Manager must notify you and miners or their representatives in writing of the approval, or status of the approval, of the training plan within 30 calendar days of the date we received the training plan for approval, or within 30 calendar days of the date we received the request by a miner or miners' representative that we approve your plan.

(g) You must provide the miners' representative, if any, with a copy of the approved plan within one week after approval. At mines where no miners' representative has been designated, you must post a copy of the plan at the mine or provide a copy to each miner within one week after approval.

(h) If you, miners, or miners' representatives wish to appeal a decision of the Regional Manager, you must send the appeal, in writing, to the Director for Educational Policy and Development, MSHA, 201 12th Street South, Arlington, VA 22202-5452, within 30 calendar days after notification of the Regional Manager's decision. The Director will issue a final decision of the Agency within 30 calendar days after receipt of the appeal.

(i) You must make available at the mine a copy of the current training plan for inspection by us and for examination by miners and their representatives. If the training plan is not maintained at the mine, you must have the capability to provide the plan within one business day upon request by us, miners, or their representatives.

(j) You must comply with the procedures for plan approval under this section whenever the plan undergoes revisions.

(k) The addresses for the EFS Regional Managers are as follows. Current information on the EFS organization is available on MSHA's Internet Home Page at http://www.msha.gov.