SMARA Compliance Program Services
Monterey County
Background
Monterey County has 15 surface mining operations, ranging in scope from small operations producing specialty products to the state’s only lime-producing dolomite mine. Large aggregate producing mines in the county supply the San Francisco peninsula and San Jose region with construction aggregates.
Challenges
Since 2004, the County has engaged Benchmark Resources to assist in its SMARA compliance program, involving annual mining inspections, financial assurance reviews, and various matters surrounding compliance with mining use permits and approved reclamation plans. In recent years, the contract has involved Benchmark performing condition of approval requirements for each use permit.
Specifically, we:
- reviewed and updated all County files with the most recent reclamation plan approvals, conditional use permits, financial assurance cost estimates, and financial assurance mechanisms and
- interpreted reclamation plan requirements regarding end use and weed abatement responsibilities during the process of final reclamation and closure of an aggregate mine.
Solutions
Benchmark Resources’ breath of experience in mining and reclamation throughout California was put to use in this environmentally diverse county with a wide diversity of mineral resources and a range of approaches to mining and reclamation.