News
Written by Crystal Howard.
Mining is an essential part of California’s economy and history. The state’s mineral wealth was responsible for its rapid growth and continued development. Regulation of the state’s mining industry began in 1975 with the adoption of the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). A number of amendments have strengthened its protections, but increased regulatory burdens have raised the bar for access to all but the largest producers.
At a recent Leaders of Change luncheon hosted by The North San Diego Chamber and partnered with the San Diego Regional EDC, San Diego County Taxpayer Association, San Diego Workforce Partnership® and KPBS, the minimum wage debate continued. The panel discussed the impact a minimum wage increase would have on San Diego’s economy. The event was held on October 7, 2014 at Sony Electronics, Inc. in Rancho Bernardo.
Assembly Bill 2355 (Levine) encourages local agencies to adopt standards for recycled materials. The Bill was approved by Governor Brown on September 26, 2014.
AB 2355 requires, by January 1, 2017, local agencies with jurisdiction over streets or highways to either a) adopt the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) standards for recycled paving, base, sub-base and previous backfill materials, or b) publically discuss why they are not being adopted.
On May 23, 2014, the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) reform bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1270 (Pavley), did not make it out of the Senate Appropriations Committee, thus killing the bill for this session. However, like the phoenix, the legendary Arabian bird, SB 1270 rose from the ashes in June by Senate leadership through a rule waiver. The new version of the bill includes further amendments; however, the changes do not address many of the issues that negatively impact the industry. SB 1270 is a toxic bill drafted with the intent to transfer SMARA authority to the State, substantially increase fees to the industry, and create several mandatory provisions that would result in further cost increases and uncertainty within the mining industry. We also suspect that the change in annual fees is an attempt to funnel money to The Sierra Fund to facilitate remediation of a number of legacy metal mines.
On July 1, 2015, new stormwater rules go into effect for California Industrial General Permit (IGP) holders.
These changes affect all California dischargers (including mine sites). Every site will need to re-register for an IGP in order to continue coverage under the Notice of Intent (NOI). This means each site must also submit an updated Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and a Monitoring Implementation Plan (MIP) before the July 2015 deadline.
California’s mineral resource industry is being threatened by the recent introduction of Senate Bill 1270 (Pavley). This proposed legislation will radically alter the balance between mineral resource production and regulatory oversight.
The mineral resource industry, such as construction aggregate, in California is essential to the State’s economy. It provides the materials needed to build and maintain roads, bridges, homes and commercial buildings, as well as provide jobs for thousands of Californians.
Senator Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) is the author of SB 1270 which changes the oversight of the California Geological Survey and the requirements for surface mining operations. It also requires annual reporting fees on each mine. The bill is presumably an effort to fix implementation issues with a unique statewide mandate on local land use policies regarding reclamation from mineral extraction facilities.
Senate Bill 1270 (Pavley) proposes significant reforms of the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). SMARA regulates surface mining in California, requiring each operation to have an approved Reclamation Plan, Land Use Permit, and Financial Assurance before extraction can commence. Authority for the implementation of SMARA is split between local lead agencies and the Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR), a division of the California Department of Conservation (DOC). Local lead agencies are in charge of implementing the program in their jurisdiction by approving or denying reclamation plans, financial assurances, land use permits and for conducting annual mine inspections. OMR serves in an oversight or an advisory role to the lead agencies. SB 1270 would remove a portion of the lead agency’s authorities and transfer these to the State.
This analysis provides an overview of the proposed changes to the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) which are presented in Senate Bill 1270 (Pavley). Senator Fran Pavely of Senate District 27 is carrying the bill. District 27 covers Malibu, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and parts of Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley. Sen. Pavley is also the Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water. The bill is sponsored by the Sierra Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the Sierra Nevada and they are located in Nevada City, California.
The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) released its draft of the California’s Climate Future – The Governor’s Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EGPR) for public comment.
The report considers the state’s future in the context of a changing climate and a population that is projected to grow to 50 million residents by middle of this century. The discussion draft provides a vision of the state’s future and a broad overview of the state’s programs and policies to achieve that vision. (OPR)
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