For purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall be defined as follows:
AREA OF REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE: An area designated by the board 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 premature loss of minerals that are of more than local significance.
AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE: An area designated by the board 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.
BOARD: The state mining and geology board.
BORROW PITS: Excavations created by the surface mining of rock, unconsolidated geologic deposits or soil to provide material (borrow) for fill elsewhere.
CEQA: The California environmental quality act as enacted in sections 21000 et seq., of the Public Resources Code.
COMPATIBLE LAND USES: Land uses inherently compatible with mining that require a minimum public or private investment in structures or land improvements, and which may allow mining because of the relative economic value of the land and its improvements. Examples of such uses may include, but shall not be limited to, very low density residential, geographically extensive but low impact industrial, recreational, agricultural, grazing and open space.
DIRECTOR: The director of the state of California department of conservation.
HAUL ROAD: A road along which minerals and other materials are transported from an area of excavation to a processing plant or stock pile area of a surface mining operation.
IDLE: To curtail, for a period of one year or more, surface mining operations by more than ninety percent (90%) of the operation's previous maximum annual mineral production, with the intent to resume those surface mining operations at a future date.
INCOMPATIBLE LAND USES: Land uses inherently incompatible with mining and/or that require public or private investment in structures, land improvements and landscaping and that may prevent mining because of the greater economic value of the land and its improvements. Examples of such uses may include, but shall not be limited to, high density residential, low density residential with high unit value, public facilities, geographically limited but impact intensive industrial and commercial.
MINED LANDS: 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.
MINERALS: Any naturally occurring chemical element or compound, or groups of elements and compounds, formed from inorganic processes and organic substances, including, but not limited to, coal, peat, and bituminous rock, but excluding geothermal resources, natural gas and petroleum.
OPERATOR: Any person who is engaged in surface mining operations, who permits others to conduct surface mining operations on his property and who receives a financial benefit therefrom, or who contracts with others to conduct operations on his behalf, except for a person who is engaged in surface mining operations as an employee with wages as sole compensation.
OVERBURDEN: Soil, rock or other material that lies above a mineral deposit or in between mineral deposits, before or after its removal by surface mining operations.
PERSON: Any individual, firm, association, corporation, organization or partnership, or any city, county or district of the state, or any department or agency thereof.
RECLAMATION: The process of land treatment that minimizes water degradation, air pollution, damage to aquatic or wildlife habitat, flooding, erosion and other adverse effects from mining operations, including adverse surface effects incidental to underground mines, so that mined lands are reclaimed to a usable condition which are readily adaptable for alternative land uses and create no danger to public health or safety. Reclamation may extend to lands surrounding mined lands, and may require backfilling, grading, recoiling, revegetation, soil compaction, stabilization or other measures.
STATE REGULATIONS: Collectively the California surface mining and reclamation act of 1975 1 (the "act"), Public Resources Code section 2207 and the California Code of Regulations implementing the act (14 California Code of Regulations section 3500 et seq., and article 9, chapter 8, sections 3700 et seq.).
STREAMBED SKIMMING: Excavation of sand and gravel from streambed deposits above the mean summer water level or stream bottom, whichever is higher.
SURFACE MINING OPERATION(S): All or any part of the process involved in the mining of minerals by removing overburden and mining directly from mineral deposits, open pit mining of minerals naturally exposed, mining by the auger method, dredging or quarrying, or surface work incidental to an underground mine. Surface mining operations shall include, but are not limited to, in place distillation, retorting or leaching; the production and disposal of mining waste; prospecting and exploratory activities; and the creation of borrow pits, streambed skimming, segregation and stockpiling of mined materials and their recovery. (Ord. 2399 § 2, 1999)
Notes
| 1 | 1. Pub.Res.C. § 2710 et seq. |