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Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.

OSHA Press Release: Federal OSHA Assumes Enforcement Jurisdiction Over Military Facilities And Bases, Indian Lands In State Of New Mexico [09/24/1997]

For more information call: (202) 219-8151

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today approved a request from the State of New Mexico that federal OSHA enforce private-sector workplace safety and health on military facilities and bases and both private-sector and tribal workplace safety and health on Indian lands.

Federal OSHA will assume enforcement coverage of private-sector employment on all federal military lands and facilities in the state, including, but not limited to, Kirkland Air Force Base, Fort Bliss Military Reservation, White Sands Missile Range Military Reservation, Holloman Air Force Base, Cannon Air Force Base, Fort Wingate Military Reservation, Fort Bayard Veterans' Hospital, Albuquerque Veterans' Hospital, Santa Fe National Cemetery, and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, over tribal and private-sector employment on any Indian reservation and lands under the control of a tribal government in New Mexico.

New Mexico made the request after encountering numerous problems with regard to exercising its state occupational safety and health authority at federal military facilities and bases and also because all New Mexico Indian tribes have treaties with the federal government, and applicability of state laws and jurisdiction on tribal reservations and other Indian-owned land has been questionable.

A copy of the changes to the New Mexico state occupational safety and health plan may be inspected and copied during normal business hours at:

• Office of the Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Labor-OSHA, 525 Griffin St., Room 602, Dallas, Tex. 75202;
• Office of the Secretary, Environment Department, 1190 St. Francis Dr., Room 2200-North, Santa Fe, N.M. 87503; and
• Office of State Programs, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Room N-3700, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.

Notice of the approval is in the Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1997, Federal Register. For an electronic copy of the Federal Register notice, contact OSHA's home page on the Internet World Wide Web at http://www.osha.gov.

Archived News Release--Caution: information may be out of date.