2023 California Code › Public Resources Code - PRC › DIVISION 2 - GEOLOGY, MINES AND MINING › CHAPTER 9 - Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 175 › ARTICLE 5 - Reclamation Plans and the Conduct of Surface Mining Operations › Section 2772.1.

2772.1. (a) (1) Prior to approving a surface mining operation’s reclamation plan or plan amendment, the lead agency shall submit the reclamation plan or plan amendment to the supervisor for review. The reclamation plan or plan amendment shall be submitted to the supervisor as early as practicable in order to facilitate the lead agency’s review of the reclamation plan pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)). All documentation for the submission shall be submitted to the supervisor at one time.
(2) An item of information, document, or component of a document that has been prepared as part of a permit application for the surface mining operation or as part of an environmental document prepared for the project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) shall be incorporated into the reclamation plan or plan amendment if it is used to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 2772, Sections 2773 and 2773.3, and Article 1 (commencing with Section 3500) and Article 9 (commencing with Section 3700) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 8 of Division 2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as applicable. If an item of information, document, or component of a document is incorporated, reference to the item shall be added to the chart required pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 2772 and shall be properly indexed with the corresponding appendix reference and page numbers, if applicable. The item shall be included in an appendix to and shall become part of the reclamation plan or plan amendment.
(3) The lead agency shall certify to the supervisor that the reclamation plan or plan amendment is a complete submission and is in compliance with all of the following:
(A) The applicable requirements of this chapter.
(B) Article 1 (commencing with Section 3500) and Article 9 (commencing with Section 3700) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 8 of Division 2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as applicable.
(C) The lead agency’s surface mining ordinance in effect at the time that the reclamation plan or plan amendment is submitted to the supervisor for review, except if the board is the lead agency.
(b) (1) The supervisor shall have 30 days from the receipt of a reclamation plan or plan amendment to notify the lead agency and operator if the submission is incomplete. An incomplete submission is one that does not meet the content requirements of Sections 2772, 2773, and 2773.3 and Article 1 (commencing with Section 3500) and Article 9 (commencing with Section 3700) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 8 of Division 2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as applicable. The supervisor’s notice shall specifically identify all aspects of the submission that are incomplete.
(2) The supervisor shall have 30 days after the date the supervisor is required to notify the lead agency if the submission is incomplete to prepare written comments on the reclamation plan or plan amendment if the supervisor chooses.
(3) If the supervisor has issued a notice of incomplete submission pursuant to paragraph (1), the supervisor’s time to prepare written comments on the reclamation plan or plan amendment shall not commence until the supervisor receives each item identified in the notice. The supervisor’s time shall include any remaining time pursuant to paragraph (1) and the time allowed pursuant to paragraph (2).
(4) The lead agency shall review and evaluate written comments received from the supervisor relating to the reclamation plan or plan amendment within a reasonable amount of time.
(5) (A) The lead agency shall prepare a written response to the supervisor’s comments received pursuant to paragraph (2) describing the disposition of the major issues raised by the comments. The lead agency shall submit its response to the supervisor at least 30 days prior to the intended approval of the reclamation plan or plan amendment. The lead agency’s response shall include either of the following:
(i) A description of how the lead agency proposes to adopt the supervisor’s comments to the reclamation plan or plan amendment.
(ii) A detailed description of the reasons why the lead agency proposes not to adopt the supervisor’s comments.
(B) Copies of any written comments received and responses prepared by the lead agency pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall be forwarded to the operator.
(6) (A) The lead agency shall give the supervisor at least 30 days’ notice of the time, place, and date of the hearing at which the reclamation plan or plan amendment is scheduled to be approved by the lead agency.
(B) If no hearing is required by this chapter, the local ordinance, or other state law, the lead agency shall provide 30 days’ notice to the supervisor that the lead agency intends to approve the reclamation plan or plan amendment.
(7) (A) Within 30 days following the approval of the reclamation plan or plan amendment, the lead agency shall provide the supervisor notice of the approval. During that period, the Division of Mine Reclamation retains all powers, duties, and authorities of this chapter. The lead agency shall provide, as soon as practicable but no later than 60 days after approval of the reclamation plan or plan amendment, certified copies of all maps, diagrams, or calculations, signed and sealed.
(B) No later than 60 days after the approval of the reclamation plan or plan amendment, the lead agency shall provide to the supervisor an official copy of the approved reclamation plan or plan amendment. The official copy shall incorporate all approved modifications to the reclamation plan or plan amendment and shall include an index showing any permit conditions of approval or binding mitigation measures adopted or certified pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) that are necessary to meet the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 2772, Sections 2773 and 2773.3, and Article 1 (commencing with Section 3500) and Article 9 (commencing with Section 3700) of Subchapter 1 of Chapter 8 of Division 2 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, as applicable. Those conditions of approval and mitigation measures shall be included in an appendix to the reclamation plan or plan amendment and shall be considered part of the reclamation compliance requirements and subject to the annual inspection requirements.
(c) To the extent there is a conflict between the comments of a trustee agency or a responsible agency that are based on that agency’s statutory or regulatory authority and the comments of other commenting agencies that are received by the lead agency pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)) regarding a reclamation plan or plan amendments, the lead agency shall consider only the comments of the trustee agency or responsible agency.
(d) Nothing in this section is intended to limit or expand the Division of Mine Reclamation’s authority or responsibility to review a document in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000)).
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 521, Sec. 36. (SB 809) Effective January 1, 2018.)