Surface Mining and Reclamation Act (SMARA)

SMARA is an acronym for the Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975. SMARA was enacted by the California Legislature to address the need for a continuing supply of mineral resources, and to prevent or minimize the negative impacts of surface mining to public health, property and the environment. There are some 22 surface mining operations in the unincorporated area of the County and they produce construction related materials, principally sand and rock.

Ventura County has developed a three-pronged program to implement the State law: 1) each mining operation is subject to a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) which contains detailed operating requirements and a plan for the reclamation of the site once mining has ceased, 2) annually inspecting sites for compliance with permit conditions, and 3) annually ensuring that there is an adequate financial surety in place to pay for the reclamation of each site should it be abandoned.

As a part of the mandated annual review of each site the operator is required to submit an Annual Status Report (ASR) which details the existing conditions at the site. The ASR includes a description of all disturbed areas, a summary of the earthwork required to achieve site reclamation per the approved Reclamation Plan, and a description of the existing facilities on site. In addition, the operator provides a current appraisal of both the value of the equipment and structures and an estimate of the cost to remove these items from the site. Based on the information received from the operator, the County then calculates the appropriate Financial Assurance figure the operator must post to cover the cost of reclamation in the event that the operator is unable to do so. Sureties often run into the millions of dollars. The County also conducts State-mandated annual physical inspections of all mining operations to check for compliance with permit conditions and consistency with ASR. The findings of the inspections are reported to the State Department of Conservation, Office of Mine Reclamation. In addition to the County report, each operator is required to submit a report to the State each July, which covers the operator's activities for the previous year.

If you have any questions on SMARA or need further information, contact: Carole Aragon at (805) 654 2462 or email Carole.Aragon@ventura.org.

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