AB 1142: Mining and geology: surface mining.

(1)The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 prohibits a person, with exceptions, from conducting surface mining operations unless, among other things, a permit is obtained from, a specified reclamation plan is submitted to and approved by, and financial assurances for reclamation have been approved by the lead agency for the operation of the surface mining operation.

This bill would revise and recast provisions of the act related to the approval of reclamation plans and, among other things, would require a reclamation plan filed by an operator of a surface mining operation with a lead agency to include specified reclamation maps; require a lead agency, when submitting a proposed reclamation plan to the Director of Conservation, to incorporate specified items of information and documents in the submitted reclamation plan within certain timeframes; and require the director to take certain actions upon receiving a proposed reclamation plan. By adding to the duties of a local government acting as a lead agency under the act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill would revise and recast provisions of the act related to financial assurances and, among other things, would require an operator to replace an approved financial assurance only if the financial assurance cost estimate identifies a need to increase the amount of the financial assurance; require a lead agency to submit a surface mining operations proposed financial assurance cost estimate to the director for review, as specified; and require the director to take certain actions upon receiving a financial assurance cost estimate from a lead agency. By adding to the duties of a local government acting as a lead agency under the act, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

This bill also would require a lead agency or the State Mining and Geology Board to conduct a specified public hearing if the lead agency has evidence that an operator may be financially incapable of performing reclamation in accordance with its approved reclamation plan or that the operator has abandoned a surface mining operation without completing reclamation and to take appropriate actions to forfeit the operators financial assurances if warranted following that hearing.

This bill would require the director, no later than December 31, 2021, to submit a specified report to the Legislature on the expenditure of moneys in the Mine Reclamation Account.

(2)The act requires the owner or operator of a mining operation to forward annually to the director and the lead agency a report that provides, among other things, proof of annual inspection by the lead agency. The act also requires every lead agency to adopt ordinances that establish procedures for the review and approval of reclamation plans, and, before approving a reclamation plan, to submit the plan to the director. The act requires a lead agency to inspect a surface mining operation within 6 months of receiving a specified report and to conduct an inspection no less than once every calendar year. The act authorizes a lead agency to cause an inspection to be conducted by a state-licensed geologist, state-licensed civil engineer, state-licensed landscape architect, or state-licensed forester, as specified.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions and, among other things, would authorize a lead agency to cause an inspection to be conducted by a qualified employee of the lead agency who meets specified criteria and who, after January 1, 2020, has completed an inspection workshop, as provided; impose new requirements on the lead agency related to the timing of inspections; and require the department to establish a training program for lead agency employees who inspect surface mining operations no later than December 31, 2017. By adding to the duties of a local government acting as a lead agency, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)The act requires that the lead agency have primary responsibility in enforcing the act. The act authorizes, in cases where the board is not the lead agency, the director to initiate enforcement actions if the lead agency has been notified by the director, for at least 30 days, of a violation and has not taken appropriate enforcement action, or the director determines there is a violation that presents an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health or safety or the environment. The act establishes procedures and timelines for an operator to have an order setting administrative penalties reviewed by a legislative body of a lead agency, the board, or a superior court.

This bill would revise and recast those provisions and, among other things, would revise the timelines and actions related to the issuance of an order to comply and, after the expiration of a specified review period, authorize the director or the board when it acts as a lead agency to apply to the small claims court or the superior court, as appropriate, for a judgment to collect an unpaid administrative penalty.

(4)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

(5)This bill would make its operation contingent on the enactment and operation of Senate Bill 209 of the 201516 Regular Session.