News

• At its January 12, 2012, regular business meeting, the SMGB moved to forward a letter to Governor Brown praising the Governor’s efforts to streamline government and reduce expenditures, while making the case that elimination of the board would have the opposite effect, and request that he support the continued existence of the board.
• The Department of Conservation, Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR) periodically publishes a list of mines regulated under the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) that meet provisions set forth under California’s Public Resources Code (PRC), Section 2717(b).  This list is generally referred to as the AB 3098 List, in reference to the 1992 legislation that established it.  Sections 10295.5 and 20676 of the Public Contract Code preclude mining operations that are not on the AB 3098 List from selling sand, gravel, aggregates, or other mined materials, to state or local agencies.  At its January 12, 2012, regular business meeting, the SMGB revised and completed its work on proposed draft regulations for consideration for surface mining operations to be included, rejection of placement, or removed from the AB 3098 List.
• In honor of it's 125th anniversary, a brief history of the State Mining and Geology Board was included in the 2009-2010 SMGB Annual Report.  Click here to view the excerpt.
• At its March 10, 2011, regular business meeting, the SMGB adopted the revised form for Petition for Classification of Mineral Lands.  Notably, the form no longer applies to a petition for Designation of Mineral Lands, and includes the SMGB’s internal policy for validating and accepting professionally prepared reports and other documents submitted for consideration.
• At its February 10, 2011, regular business meeting the SMGB approved the publication of its 2009-2010 Annual Report.  Existing law requires various written reports to be prepared and submitted by State and local agencies to the Legislature and the Governor.  The SMGB is legislatively mandated to prepare annual reports to the Legislature pursuant to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA).
• SMGB Information Report 2010-07, "A Review of Issues Pertaining to Idle Mines Under the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act" is now available on the web.
• On November 10, 2010, the SMGB revised and re-adopted their Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan presents a Mission Statement, supported by six Goals. Each of the Goals is sustained by a list of Strategies for achieving those Goals. The Strategies in turn require specific Objectives (tasks) that must be performed.
• At its June 10, 2010, Regular Business Meeting, the SMGB adopted new administrative procedures for the submittal of documents pertaining to agenda items before the SMGB and its Committees.