Bills

SB 209: Surface mining: financial assurances: reclamation plans.

  • Session Year: 2015-2016
  • House: Senate
Version:

(1)Existing law establishes the Office of Mine Reclamation within the Department of Conservation. Existing law requires the State Mining and Geology Board to impose, by regulation, an annual reporting fee on the operators of all active and idle mining operations. Existing law requires the maximum amount of the annual fee imposed on each mining operation to not exceed $4,000. Existing law limits the maximum amount of the total revenue generated from the reporting fee to no more than $3,500,000, as specified.

This bill would instead establish the Division of Mine Reclamation within the department under the direction of the Supervisor of Mine Reclamation. The bill also would raise the maximum amount of the annual reporting fee to $10,000 per mining operation, except as specified. The bill would raise the maximum amount of the total revenue generated from the reporting fee to $8,000,000, as specified.

(2)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 require a lead agency that is the owner or operator of a borrow pit surface mining operation that is used solely by that lead agency to include in the reclamation plan maintenance measures that become effective when the borrow pit surface mining operation is idle or to obtain an approved interim management plan, as specified. The bill would authorize a lead agency to conduct an inspection once every 2 calendar years during a period when the borrow pit surface mining operation that is used solely by that lead agency is idle.

This bill would allow an operator, after the board has adopted a specified regulation, to include in a financial assurance mechanism a corporate financial test, as described.

(3)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.

(4)This bill would make its operation contingent on the enactment of Assembly Bill 1142 of the 201516 Regular Session.

Discussed in Hearing

Senate Floor3MIN
Mar 31, 2016

Senate Floor

Assembly Floor1MIN
Mar 28, 2016

Assembly Floor

Assembly Floor2MIN
Mar 17, 2016

Assembly Floor

Assembly Floor1MIN
Sep 4, 2015

Assembly Floor

Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources19MIN
Jul 13, 2015

Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources

Senate Floor4MIN
May 28, 2015

Senate Floor

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations5MIN
May 26, 2015

Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations

Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Water20MIN
Mar 24, 2015

Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources and Water

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