SECTIONS 2725-2735 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 2725-2735

2725. Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions set
forth in this article shall govern the construction of this chapter.

2726. "Area of regional significance" means an area designated by
the board pursuant to Section 2790 which is known to contain a
deposit of minerals, the extraction of which is judged to be of prime
importance in meeting future needs for minerals in a particular
region of the state within which the minerals are located and which,
if prematurely developed for alternate incompatible land uses, could
result in the permanent loss of minerals that are of more than local
significance.

2727. "Area of statewide significance" means an area designated by
the board pursuant to Section 2790 which is known to contain a
deposit of minerals, the extraction of which is judged to be of prime
importance in meeting future needs for minerals in the state and
which, if prematurely developed for alternate incompatible land uses,
could result in the permanent loss of minerals that are of more than
local or regional significance.

2727.1. "Idle" means to curtail for a period of one year or more
surface mining operations by more than 90 percent of the operation's
previous maximum annual mineral production, with the intent to resume
those surface mining operations at a future date.

2728. "Lead agency" means the city, county, San Francisco Bay
Conservation and Development Commission, or the board which has the
principal responsibility for approving a reclamation plan pursuant to
this chapter.

2729. "Mined lands" includes the surface, subsurface, and ground
water of an area in which surface mining operations will be, are
being, or have been conducted, including private ways and roads
appurtenant to any such area, land excavations, workings, mining
waste, and areas in which structures, facilities, equipment,
machines, tools, or other materials or property which result from, or
are used in, surface mining operations are located.

2730. "Mining waste" includes the residual of soil, rock, mineral,
liquid, vegetation, equipment, machines, tools, or other materials or
property directly resulting from, or displaced by, surface mining
operations.

2731. "Operator" means any person who is engaged in surface mining
operations, himself, or who contracts with others to conduct
operations on his behalf, except a person who is engaged in surface
mining operations as an employee with wages as his sole compensation.

2732. "Overburden" means soil, rock, or other materials that lie
above a natural mineral deposit or in between mineral deposits,
before or after their removal by surface mining operations.

2732.5. "Permit" means any authorization from, or approval by, a
lead agency, the absence of which would preclude surface mining
operations.

2733. "Reclamation" means the combined process of land treatment
that minimizes water degradation, air pollution, damage to aquatic or
wildlife habitat, flooding, erosion, and other adverse effects from
surface mining operations, including adverse surface effects
incidental to underground mines, so that mined lands are reclaimed to
a usable condition which is readily adaptable for alternate land
uses and create no danger to public health or safety. The process may
extend to affected lands surrounding mined lands, and may require
backfilling, grading, resoiling, revegetation, soil compaction,
stabilization, or other measures.

2734. "State policy" means the regulations adopted by the board
pursuant to Section 2755.

2735. "Surface mining operations" means all, or any part of, the
process involved in the mining of minerals on mined lands by removing
overburden and mining directly from the mineral deposits, open-pit
mining of minerals naturally exposed, mining by the auger method,
dredging and quarrying, or surface work incident to an underground
mine. Surface mining operations shall include, but are not limited
to:
(a) Inplace distillation or retorting or leaching.
(b) The production and disposal of mining waste.
(c) Prospecting and exploratory activities.