ORIGINS OF CALIFORNIA'S SURFACE MINING & RECLAMATION ACT (SMARA)

As the California Geologic Survey celebrates its 150^th anniversary and the State Mining and Geology Board (SMGB) celebrates its 125^th anniversary, it is fitting to reflect upon the crucial role the SMGB and the State Geologist played in how mining and reclamation is regulated today. In April of 1964, in Roanoke, Virginia, the Council of State Governments held a conference on surface mining, attended by state and federal legislative and administrative officials, mining industry representatives, and conservationists. This meeting compelled to the Council of State Governments to assist the states in dealing with surface mining problems. In 1967, the California Senate called for a study of uniform control and standards for strip mining. The subject was referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources for consideration. The Senate Committee on Natural Resources looked to California’s SMGB for direction. The SMGB adopted Resolution B, triggering the formation of a study group to “…inquire into the problems presented by surface mining as identified by the Department of the Interior of the United States of America…” The SMGB looked to Norman B. Livermore, Jr., Secretary of Resources, to organize the Surface Mining Committee to study and recommend “such regulations as may be needed to avoid ‘collisions’ between urbanization and the mining industry.” The findings of the Surface Mining Committee were summarized in “The Report of the Committee on Surface Mining for the State of California” (the report) was forwarded to both the Senate Standing Committee on Natural Resources and the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources.

In Washington, the US Congress was on track to adopt the Surface Mining Control and Recovery Act and the National Environmental Protection Act. California's Surface Mining Committee concluded that State regulation of mining would be preferable to Federal regulations. The findings of the Committee set in motion events in the California legislature which led to the adoption of California's Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA). SMARA was amended 15 years later giving the State enforcement authority and leading to the creation of the Office of Mine Reclamation.