Surface mining: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

(1) The Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1975 prohibits a person, with exceptions, from conducting surface mining operations unless, among other things, a permit is obtained from, a specified reclamation plan is submitted to and approved by, and financial assurances for reclamation have been approved by, the lead agency for the operation of the surface mining operation. Existing law authorizes the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to prepare a master reclamation plan, as provided, that identifies each individual surface mining operation in specified counties and satisfies all reclamation plan requirements for each individual surface mining site. Existing law requires the State Mining and Geology Board to act as the lead agency for surface mining operations conducted by the MWD and authorizes the board to conduct an inspection of an individual surface mining operation once every 2 calendar years during a period when that individual surface mining operation is idle or the site has no mineral production. Existing law requires the MWD to be the lead agency for any environmental review of the master reclamation plan. Existing law repeals the provisions authorizing the preparation and approval of the master reclamation plan for the MWD on January 1, 2026. This bill would extend the operation of those provisions until January 1, 2041. To the extent this bill would require a local government acting as a lead agency for environmental review of the master reclamation plan to perform those additional duties for a longer period of time, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.