FRACKVILLE — The federal Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) office is slated to be closed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but beyond that little is known about its future.
The termination of the lease on the office at 954 Mall Road is listed online in under the Real Estate section on the DOGE website.
The annual lease on the property is $132,547, with an estimated savings of $55,228, according to DOGE.
The owner of the property, located in a strip mall near the former Big Lots store, is not listed on the DOGE site.
The U.S. Department of Labor, of which MSHA is a part, referred inquiries to the U.S. General Services Administration.
The Mine Safety and Health Administration office in Frackville is set to have its leased terminated by DOGE, pictured Friday, March 7, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
A spokesperson said GSA, which oversees leasing of property for federal agencies, is reviewing all options to optimize the utilization of federal government buildings.
“Our space consolidation plan is to terminate many soft term leases,” a GSA spokesperson said. “To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants, we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space.”
A spokesperson said GSA supports the return to office of federal employees, while seeking to take advantage of stronger private/government partnerships in managing its workforce of the future.
Neither the GSA or DOL would discuss whether employees of the Frackville office will be furloughed or transferred to other MSHA offices.
Mining equipment sits on Gilberton Coal Company property, Friday, March 7, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
As of March 5, DOGE listed 748 lease terminations totaling 9.5 million square feet with estimated savings of $468 million.
In what it calls a mass modification, or “Mass Mod,” DOGE plans to close 24 federal offices in Pennsylvania.
The Railroad Retirement Board office in Scranton is on the list with an annual least cost of $32,369 and a total projected savings of $70,133.
GSA says it is reviewing all options to optimize its footprint and use of buildings.
“To the extent these terminations affect public facing facilities and/or existing tenants, we are working with our agency partners to secure suitable alternative space,” a spokesperson said.
In many cases, GSA says, it will allow for an increase of space utilization and the obtaining of improved terms.
Under provisions of the Federal Mine Safety Act of 1977, MSHA implements health and safety measures in the mining industry regardless of the size, number of employees or commodities mines, its website says.
When the agency was created in 1977, 242 miners died in accidents that year across the country. In 2022, the number of annual fatalities dropped to 29, MSHA reports.
State Rep. Tim Twardzik, R-123, Butler Twp., said he hopes the mine safety initiative will continue after the Frackville office closes.
“We need to keep our mines safe,” said Twardzik, who plans to reach out to mining operators to get a better understanding of MSHA’s program.
The Frackville office, Twardzik said, is centrally located for the area’s anthracite industry. Its staff conducts lab work, and the office has special equipment for reviewing mine safety operations.
Twardzik believes the MSHA office might be one of several in the complex. Based on DOGE’s estimated annual savings of $55,228, the lease of the 5,125-square-foot office works out to be $10.73 per square foot, about the market rate for a building of its type, Twardzik said.
Originally Published: March 7, 2025 at 4:12 PM EST