Senate Bill 1270 (Pavley) proposes significant reforms of the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA). SMARA regulates surface mining in California, requiring each operation to have an approved Reclamation Plan, Land Use Permit, and Financial Assurance before extraction can commence. Authority for the implementation of SMARA is split between local lead agencies and the Office of Mine Reclamation (OMR), a division of the California Department of Conservation (DOC). Local lead agencies are in charge of implementing the program in their jurisdiction by approving or denying reclamation plans, financial assurances, land use permits and for conducting annual mine inspections. OMR serves in an oversight or an advisory role to the lead agencies. SB 1270 would remove a portion of the lead agency’s authorities and transfer these to the State.
SB 1270, SMARA Reform Bill: What is Changing and How will it Impact You?
This analysis provides an overview of the proposed changes to the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA) which are presented in Senate Bill 1270 (Pavley). Senator Fran Pavely of Senate District 27 is carrying the bill. District 27 covers Malibu, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Moorpark and parts of Santa Clarita and the San Fernando Valley. Sen. Pavley is also the Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water. The bill is sponsored by the Sierra Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the Sierra Nevada and they are located in Nevada City, California.
Infrastructure Spending Means Positive Economic Impact
According to a study conducted by the College of William & Mary’s Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy (TJPPP), the U.S. needs to implement innovative ways to finance investment in its infrastructure to avoid adding to the deficit.
Whether through public-private partnerships, individual and corporate contributions, or fee lanes, investing in infrastructure is in the best interest of the U.S. economy.
A Concrete Record for Tallest Building in Western USA
Story Published February 16, 2014 / William M. Welsh, USA TODAY
LOS ANGELES – Workers building what is to become the largest skyscraper in the western USA completed pouring the massive concrete foundation Sunday and established a world record in the process.
More than 2,100 truckloads of concrete were poured continuously over more than 18 hours for the Wilshire Grand Center project, setting a Guinness world record for largest continuous pour, a Guinness judge said Sunday.
“Everything went about as picture perfectly as they expected,” said Michael Empric, Guinness’ adjudicator on the scene.
“It was kind of like a ballet of trucks, moving in and out all night, to get this record done,” he said.
The overnight pour began with a Saturday afternoon celebration at the downtown construction site, where the University of Southern California marching band led the parade of concrete trucks.
The 21,200 cubic yards of concrete was completely poured shortly before noon Sunday, besting a previous record of 21,000 cubic yards set by The Venetian hotel in Las Vegas in 1999, Empric said.
Because concrete heats up as it cures, the architect and contractors designed and installed a system of chiller pipes inside the foundation that will cool the concrete as it solidifies. Pouring continuously rather than in sections allowed for establishing a single solid base to support the building’s weight without linking separate sections of foundation, architect Chris Martin said.
The $1 billion private hotel and office project is being built by a Korean group that owns Korean Air Lines.
Once finished, the 73-story skyscraper will reach 1,100 feet, counting its spire, making it the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It will be about 100 feet taller than the current tallest building in Los Angeles and the West, the U.S. Bank Tower. The hotel is expected to open in 2017.
“In L.A. I think people are enthused about downtown. They’re excited about this building. … It means jobs, jobs, jobs,” Mayor Eric Garcetti told KABC-TV at the ceremony.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com
Lead Agency Fees for Administration of SMARA Programs
EnviroMINE conducted a survey of lead agencies to determine the amount each charge to implement their Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 (SMARA) program. SMARA requires lead agencies review proposed mining applications for land use permits and/or reclamation plans (or amendments thereto), submit reclamation plans and financial assurances to the State for technical review and comment prior to approval, annually review financial assurances, annually inspect mining operations for compliance, and take enforcement actions where necessary. Section §2207(e) of SMARA indicates the lead agency may impose a fee upon each mining operation to cover the reasonable costs incurred by implementing the program.
CA Environmental Goals and Policy Report Lacks Mention of Mineral Resources
The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) released its draft of the California’s Climate Future – The Governor’s Environmental Goals and Policy Report (EGPR) for public comment.
The report considers the state’s future in the context of a changing climate and a population that is projected to grow to 50 million residents by middle of this century. The discussion draft provides a vision of the state’s future and a broad overview of the state’s programs and policies to achieve that vision. (OPR)
EnviroMINE Now Offers Real Estate Brokerage Services
SAN DIEGO, CA – EnviroMINE, Inc. – a consulting service specializing in mining and reclamation planning, mine permitting, regulatory compliance and aggregate economics, adds real estate brokerage services for mining properties.
The EnviroMINE real estate brokerage services staff specialize in transactions for quarries, sand and gravel mining operations, mineral mines, raw land, permitted and unpermitted aggregate reserves as well as industrial properties for HMA, Recycle or RMC plants.
The Cost of Leadership
When asked to think about leadership as a cost item, you might think about the cost of hiring effective leadership for your company. When I think of leadership, I think of the cost for NOT having effective leadership. An airplane that varies from its course by a half degree in a 480 mile trip between San Diego and Sacramento will be off the mark by 4.2 miles. In a life-or-death situation, I would want to be certain that my bearings were correct, lest I miss the mark.
Department of Conservation
On August 3 2012, the Department of Conservation (DOC) released the New Amendments to the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act.
The document may be viewed here: DOC SMARA.
Robert Warren Snodgrass
Bob Snodgrass was a man of many talents. He got along well with the people around him and made friends with ease.
Although we don’t know a lot about Bob’s early life, we know that he earned Bachelors and Masters degrees from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. After graduating, he moved to the San Diego area to work with a friend.