CA Pub Res Code Section 2773.1

(a)

Lead agencies shall require financial assurances of each surface mining operation to ensure reclamation is performed in accordance with the surface mining operation’s approved reclamation plan, as follows:

(1)

Financial assurances may take the form of surety bonds executed by an admitted surety insurer, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 995.120 of the Code of Civil Procedure, irrevocable letters of credit, trust funds, or other forms of financial assurances specified by the board pursuant to subdivision (e), which the lead agency reasonably determines are adequate to perform reclamation in accordance with the surface mining operation’s approved reclamation plan.

(2)

The financial assurances shall remain in effect for the duration of the surface mining operation and any additional period until reclamation is completed.

(3)

The amount of financial assurances required of a surface mining operation for any one year shall be adjusted annually to account for new lands disturbed by surface mining operations, inflation, and reclamation of lands accomplished in accordance with the approved reclamation plan.

(4)

The financial assurances shall be made payable to the lead agency and the department. Financial assurances that were approved by the lead agency prior to January 1, 1993, and were made payable to the State Geologist shall be considered payable to the department for purposes of this chapter. However, if a surface mining operation has received approval of its financial assurances from a public agency other than the lead agency, the lead agency shall deem those financial assurances adequate for purposes of this section, or shall credit them toward fulfillment of the financial assurances required by this section, if they are made payable to the public agency, the lead agency, and the department and otherwise meet the requirements of this section. In any event, if a lead agency and one or more public agencies exercise jurisdiction over a surface mining operation, the total amount of financial assurances required by the lead agency and the public agencies for any one year shall not exceed that amount which is necessary to perform reclamation of lands remaining disturbed. For purposes of this paragraph, a “public agency” may include a federal agency.

(b)

If the lead agency or the board, following a public hearing, determines that the operator is financially incapable of performing reclamation in accordance with its approved reclamation plan, or has abandoned its surface mining operation without commencing reclamation, either the lead agency or the director shall do all of the following:

(1)

Notify the operator by personal service or certified mail that the lead agency or the director intends to take appropriate action to forfeit the financial assurances and specify the reasons for so doing.

(2)

Allow the operator 60 days to commence or cause the commencement of reclamation in accordance with its approved reclamation plan and require that reclamation be completed within the time limits specified in the approved reclamation plan or some other time period mutually agreed upon by the lead agency or the director and the operator.

(3)

Proceed to take appropriate action to require forfeiture of the financial assurances if the operator does not substantially comply with paragraph (2).

(4)

Use the proceeds from the forfeited financial assurances to conduct and complete reclamation in accordance with the approved reclamation plan. In no event shall the financial assurances be used for any other purpose. The operator is responsible for the costs of conducting and completing reclamation in accordance with the approved reclamation plan which are in excess of the proceeds from the forfeited financial assurances.

(c)

Financial assurances shall no longer be required of a surface mining operation, and shall be released, upon written notification by the lead agency, which shall be forwarded to the operator and the director, that reclamation has been completed in accordance with the approved reclamation plan. If a mining operation is sold or ownership is transferred to another person, the existing financial assurances shall remain in force and shall not be released by the lead agency until new financial assurances are secured from the new owner and have been approved by the lead agency in accordance with Section 2770.

(d)

The lead agency shall have primary responsibility to seek forfeiture of financial assurances and to reclaim mine sites under subdivision (b). However, in cases where the board is not the lead agency pursuant to Section 2774.4, the director may act to seek forfeiture of financial assurances and reclaim mine sites pursuant to subdivision (b) only if both of the following occurs:

(1)

The financial incapability of the operator or the abandonment of the mining operation has come to the attention of the director.

(2)

The lead agency has been notified in writing by the director of the financial incapability of the operator or the abandonment of the mining operation for at least 15 days, and has not taken appropriate measures to seek forfeiture of the financial assurances and reclaim the mine site; and one of the following has occurred:

(A)

The lead agency has been notified in writing by the director that failure to take appropriate measures to seek forfeiture of the financial assurances or to reclaim the mine site shall result in actions being taken against the lead agency under Section 2774.4.

(B)

The director determines that there is a violation that amounts to an imminent and substantial endangerment to the public health, safety, or to the environment.

(C)

The lead agency notifies the director in writing that its good faith attempts to seek forfeiture of the financial assurances have not been successful. The director shall comply with subdivision (b) in seeking forfeiture of financial assurances and reclaiming mine sites.

(e)

The board may adopt regulations specifying financial assurance mechanisms other than surety bonds, irrevocable letters of credit, and trust funds, which the board determines are reasonably available and adequate to ensure reclamation pursuant to this chapter, but these mechanisms may not include financial tests, or surety bonds executed by one or more personal sureties. These mechanisms may include reclamation bond pool programs.

(f)

On or before March 1, 1993, the board shall adopt guidelines to implement this section. The guidelines are exempt from the requirements of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and are not subject to review by the Office of Administrative Law.